Hold Me Back
by reign of tears
Summary: One last hurt. SxN /Complete/
1. Waiting

**Full Summary: **Terribly weakened after his fight with the _Hachibi_ (eight-tailed demon), Sasuke was forcibly taken back to Konoha, much to his distaste. With the bonds of Team 7 already severed, Naruto tries to once again befriend Sasuke, hoping that he could still save the youngest Uchiha. But Sasuke remains cold and ruthless, loyal to the man that will be Konoha's downfall, Uchiha Madara. Betrayal. Hurt/Comfort. Love. Regret. Salvation. Death. _"How long will you last before you are fully broken apart?" _With the weakening of the seal and the painful betrayal of a long lost friend, for Naruto, it won't be for much longer.

**Context:** My plot begins a few months after Pein's rampage on Konoha. This means that Naruto has already mastered the "sage mode". Slightly diverging from the manga, _Hachibi_ is successfully captured here by Team Hawk led by Sasuke. Tsunade is still the Hokage.

**Warning:** Male/Male romance and angst. This is SaiNaru and eventual SasuNaru.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Waiting**

It had not even rain.

But the heaviness in the air lingered in the surroundings, making every thing feel moist and uncomfortable. The unrelenting and peculiar humidity of the environment soon made the villagers of _Konohagakure_ feel somewhat uneasy and vulnerable. There seemed to be an unbreakable and tense silence pervading the whole village. Though normal town activities still continue, the whole vicinity of the proud_ Konoha_ still gave the impression of overwhelming immobility and stupor. It was like a genjutsu was performed in the village, crafting a trancelike mood to affect everyone. Every one can feel it, but no one can seem to put a finger on it. Perhaps the only thing that anyone can do was to wait…to anxiously wait for something to happen.

Wait for something, or_ someone_ to break that tomblike silence.

If they only knew, if only _Konoha_ knew that what they were eagerly waiting for was coming right at them, with the intention of not only breaking that silence, but crushing every thing in its path.

Maybe the perplexing humidity or the deathly silence was the least of _Konoha's_ problem after all.

* * *

Six months.

It had not rained in _Konoha_ for six months. Even a drizzle remained non-existent.

In some cities in the Fire Country, this might not be an odd occurrence. But in _Konoha_, it's a different matter. Rain comes in the village quite as often as _Amegakure's_. Surrounded by a dense forestry and a gamut of bodies of water, rain should come over regularly. _'This is indeed a strange phenomenon.'_ The Godaime Hokage thought as she surveyed the village from her office window. What made this no-rain phenomenon more difficult to comprehend was the fact that even though it had not rained for a long time, the air still felt so humid and heavy. Like a foreboding feeling.

Sighing, the Hokage bit her lip and tried to go back to her desk, momentarily stopping to check the amount of paperwork that had suddenly appeared.

"Shizune…" The Godaime said as she brought her fingers to her temple. "What did I tell you about continuing this tomorrow? I have _someone_ to meet today, and I think you know that."

"Ah yes, Hokage-sama." The secretary briefly tensed before replying. "But I also believe you can finish all of these before that appointment. If we delay these works like last time, it would pile up again. And that means _more _work, Hokage-sama." Shizune said, emphasizing the word 'more'. "You can totally do this. I believe in you."

Saying the last part with an apparent smirk, the Hokage only managed to utter a single _"Che",_ before rolling her eyes, and thinking that _the brat_ must have rubbed on Shizune as well. With all this 'I-believe-in-you' speech and that annoying grin, yeah, _he_ must have. Speaking of the brat—

"Hey old haaaag!" The door to the office suddenly slammed open, as a 16-year old blonde teen with visible whisker marks on his tanned face entered, sporting an arm sling bandage tied across his chest, with the ends behind his neck.

Following the medical report that came in a few days ago, Tsunade already knew that the sling is not only for the injured right arm, but also functions as a supplementary support for the fractured ribs that lay underneath those baggy orange clothes, which by the way, was tattered and burnt in some places. There were noticeable bruises too on his face and arm. Tsunade frowned at the _gaki's_ appearance, finding no heart to retort at the rude greeting, and only managing to look up.

"Yo, Shizune-san!" Naruto waved before taking one of the seats across the Hokage, and like a habit bought his legs up to sit Indian-style. Shizune nodded and smiled for acknowledgment.

Raising an eyebrow at this, the Hokage rested her chin on her palm and focused her attention on the brat. The _gaki_ was, undeniably, an easy distraction. With that loud voice and appearance, indeed he is.

"What do you want, _gaki?_"

"Well, uhh, you see…" Naruto mumbled while raising his uninjured arm to the back of his head, like in an apologetic or nervous manner.

Tsunade's brows furrowed, "What? Spit it out, Naruto. I'm a little busy."

Naruto's expression suddenly became serious. Looking straight to the Hokage's eyes, he said, "I want to visit _him_, Baa-chan."

The Hokage somehow knew this was coming, and only looked back at Naruto's eyes with a seemingly grim expression as an immediate response. Naruto stared back, but with eyes filled with pleading and determination.

Shizune could only look apprehensively between the two stubborn blondes, not wanting to disturb the tense aura.

Silence reigned for a whole minute before the last one who spoke finally stood up.

"Please Baa-chan! The (ANBU) guards just don't even let me take a peek! How can I know if that _bastard's_ okay? He's injured too you know, and they… What if they—? "

"Naruto…"

"What if they're pushing him too hard? We just got him back, Baa-chan! We did everything we can, and he's finally here. And now, we can't even see him. Sakura-chan and I… We can't even know if he's fine, if he's—

"Brat…."

"We don't even know if those council bastards are treating him well. Or if they let him rest at all, or—!"

"_Damn it, brat! Shut up!"_

Wide-eyed, both Naruto and Shizune stiffened. The older blonde was now standing, both palms flat on the desk, with seething annoyance clearly written on her features. "We've already talked about this, Naruto." Naruto's face scrunched up, remembering the "little talk" they did have hours before the start of the retrieval mission.

"We had an agreement that if you succeed in the mission, of retrieving that Uchiha brat, I will examine him. After the physical and mental examination, we will leave then him to the Council, to see if there is anything amiss. The interrogation is part of their job and they need to make sure of certain things. He had been under Orochimaru, and according to the recent reports, affiliated with the Akatsuki…" Tsunade stopped as she noticed that the brat seemed to be glaring at her, daring her to continue her 'accusation-laced' statements. Defiantly, the Godaime continued, "…To see if he is not planning on doing something he shouldn't, Naruto. I think you know what I mean."

"No, old hag, I don't know what you mean."

"_Che_, stubborn aren't we? Well, two can play this game, Naruto, and my answer is '_no_'. You are not allowed to visit that brat. As of the moment, you are not even allowed to see him."

Naruto clenched his fists in anger. "And why is that,_ Hokage-sama?" _Shizune flinched upon hearing the mock respect, knowing fully well that the younger blonde only addresses the Godaime in this manner when he is extremely agitated. "Why the hell can't I?"

"Well for starters brat, have you seen yourself in the mirror? Look at you! You look like garbage. You're bruised and wounded everywhere. And that—," Tsunade then pointed at the burnt marks at the lower section of the gaki's jacket—with the blazed parts extending all the way to the knee, "is overkill, don't you think?"

"Tch! It's a fight. What do you expect? I have to bring him back somehow, and I don't see any other goddamn way to go through that bastard…"

"Shut up, brat, I am not finished." Turning her attention to her desk, she tried to search for some thing amidst all the mess of checked and unchecked documents and scrolls. Flicking one report scroll, she continued, "Don't be too naïve, Naruto. I think we are all aware of the fact that the Uchiha did not come back on his own accord. The fight that you have, those wounds, and this report prove that. He was forced to go back, and he clearly did not like it…

...He almost killed you again, Naruto."

Without looking back at the _gaki_, Tsunade continued, "Kakashi and Yamato's reports reveal the same thing. You caught him at the worst possible time, where all of his chakra seemed to be drained and his eyes are in no condition to function. Although it is still quite impressive that he managed to fight the four of you, I must say. But that is not the point here, Naruto, what I'm trying to say is that—", Tsunade then looked straight to the gaki's eyes, "He is not happy to be here and we are still unsure of his motives and plans. We need the Council to assess his situation first, without any external disturbances, and that could take a few days at least…

…That is why we need to wait, Naruto. _You_ need to wait."

Naruto then looked down, almost in defeat. Deep inside, he knew that every thing Tsunade said was true. And it hurt more than he wanted to admit it. _'Why is it so painful?' _Still, he cared deeply for his teammate. He was his first friend. His first bond.

'_Bonds…'_

"But Baa-chan, I just…I just want to make sure if he's fine. Sakura-chan and I just want to know if he's safe and –."

"I know, brat. You don't have to worry about his safety. This is my village and now that he is here, that makes him my responsibility. That is to say, rest assured, I am keeping an eye on him, and all the activities of the Council. I am the goddamn Hokage after all." She then said with a smile. "Have a little faith in me, Naruto."

Naruto looked up, and without falter, smiled back. "I know that Baa-chan and I do trust you. It is just that those Council bastards…"

But before Naruto could finish, the door to the office slammed open again, revealing an exasperated pink-haired kunoichi donning a medical ninja uniform. Glaring to the youngest one in the room, she said with gritted teeth, "NA-RU-TO! You _baka_!"

"H-hey, Sa-sakura-chan.."

"Don't 'hey-sakura-chan me'! What do you think you're doing?"

"Uhh..."

"This is the second* time, Naruto!" Clenching her fist, Naruto could almost hear her knuckles cracking as Sakura moved toward him. "The second time you left the hospital without my permission! How many times do I have to tell that you are not healed yet and so leaving the hospital is out of the question! You have serious injuries, Naruto!"

"But Sakura-chan! You know I'm a fast healer and I'm bored. I've been there for almost a week! Just give my room to someone who actually needs it. I can heal by myself. Heh, just wait and see."

Finding the little skirmish a little amusing, Shizune can't help but to feel at ease. She felt that the tense atmosphere earlier seemed to lighten a bit. However, looking at her mentor's expression seemed to imply otherwise. The Hokage's eyes were still fixed on the brat, with her brows furrowed in concentration.

"Is there something wrong, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked, getting the attention of everyone.

"Oh my, how rude of me!" Sakura then exclaimed. "Ohayou, Tsunade-_shishou_, Shizune-_san_! I am so so sorry for my intrusion!"

"It's fine, Sakura." Tsunade said while raising her hand in response. Turning to Naruto, "Brat, go back to the hospital."

"Eh? But Baa-chan, I'm fine already.."

Tsunade glared, "Go. Back. Now. And if you repeat this little escapade of yours again, I will personally be the one to incapacitate you. Get it?"

Naruto gulped. "_H-hai_! I'm going now. Sheesh old hag, no need to go all sadistic on me. Let's go Sakura-chan."

Relieved, Sakura prepared to follow her teammate. "Not yet, Sakura. I need to ask you a few things. You go on ahead, Naruto. I'm sure Sakura can keep up. This won't take long."

Confused, Naruto only nodded and waved. "See ya later then, Sakura-chan! Bye Shizune-san, Baa-chan!"

Sakura looked at her teammate as he exited the door, then focused her attention again on her mentor. "You wanted to ask me something, Tsunade-shishou?"

The Hokage paused for a minute, feeling a familiar chakra near her window. _'I guess it is already time. I can't finish these paper works after all. (Sigh) So much for optimism… But before that…'_

"Sakura, I think the brat's right. It has already been a week since you returned from your last mission**. And Naruto's injuries are still pretty evident. His right arm is still basically useless."

Tsunade continued on, "With Kyuubi's healing prowess, this is quite unsettling."

Sakura visibly flinched upon hearing the mention of the nine-tailed fox. She already knew about the powerful demon fox sealed inside her best friend's body, but she still doesn't have the heart to get used to it. The whole idea of sealing a demon in an innocent infant is really appalling, and she saw how Naruto suffered just because of it. She saw how Naruto "changed" during their fight with Orochimaru at the Bridge of Heaven and Earth, and during Pein's attack at Konoha. It was a painful sight and she never wanted to see that again. She hoped never to see Naruto go through all that again. _Never_.

Even though she knew that it is only a wishful thinking.

As long as the Kyuubi is inside Naruto, there's always a chance that the Kyuubi will resurface and wreak havoc. Naruto may be strong, but every one has weaknesses. Everyone has their breaking point. No matter how strong someone is, they can still be broken. Just look at Sasuke…

"Sakura?"

"I am sorry, Tsunade-shishou. I should have told you about this sooner. I have been observing his wounds every day and…and it seems like his injuries are healing rather slowly…like a normal human would."

"But Naruto's not normal." Tsunade continued. "Either there is something special about the wounds he received or…something's wrong with the seal. I'm betting it's the latter. _Che_, the demon is as stubborn as his host…"

"Sakura, please continue on observing him and tell me if you sense anything wrong, either with the wounds or Naruto himself. I will expect a daily report regarding that."

"Hai, I understand. Please leave it to me!"

Tsunade smiled and stand up once again. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my escort's here. I have to go visit _someone_."

"Someone, shishou?"

"Hm. Your other teammate. _Uchiha Sasuke_."

* * *

After walking just a few paces outside the Main Office, Naruto finally let out a sigh of relief and leaned against the wall. Panting, he slowly walked through the hallway and gripped his shirt feeling the painful jabs of the unhealed ribs. _'Damn it.'_

'_**It burns, doesn't it?'**_

'…_...…'_

'_**Thrice. He tried to kill you thrice. How does it feel, Kit? Does it hurt?'**_

'…_Shut up, Kyuubi.'_

'_**Do you want me to heal you? I can stop the pain. I can even make you forget. Just let me out, Kit.'**_

Gripping his side tighter, Naruto stopped walking and closed his eyes…

_["Look at you! You look like garbage. You're bruised and wounded everywhere…"]_

_[That's overkill, don't you think?"] _

'_**Let me out.'**_

_["He almost killed you again, Naruto."]_

'…..'

"_Overkill, huh? Do you hate me that much, Sasuke?" _Stepping outside the tower, Naruto felt the wind brush against his face. He suddenly felt colder and tried to hug his body to keep warm as he made his way back to the hospital.

* * *

AN: Please don't be harsh. This is my very first fan fiction. Reviews are highly appreciated and **thank you so much for reading!**


	2. Burning

**Chapter 2: Burning**

_**Retrieval Mission, Six Days ago**_

_Naruto felt the sting even before his mind registered that Sasuke's katana had grazed his skin. _

_He cursed, then stumbled clumsily backwards to evade further damage. Pulling out his kunai to counter the blade, he did not see the incoming kick from his right side. He only managed to raise his right arm and heard some thing break seconds later. He cried, and fell sidewards. It was a full-force kick. He did not need to look. He knew that his right arm was already broken, and therefore can no longer use it. 'Shit.' Naruto cursed for the second time as he forced his legs to move. He knew it was pathetic, and against all ninja codes to turn your back from your enemy, but he didn't really have much choice. It's either the code or his life. Choosing the latter, he pushed the ground and ran. _

_He ran as fast as he could. 'Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!' If only his teammates were here. Why does he always have to try to face Sasuke alone? He knew it was stupid, irrational and beyond all common sense, but he still went. _

_Alone. _

_To meet the person hell-bent on murdering him. 'Really smart, Naruto.' He thought to himself. _

'_I just want to talk to him. How did it come to this?'_

_Sensing that Sasuke is already behind him, he flared his chakra to alert his other teammates, hoping against hope that they get to him in time. It was just one of his rare luck that Sasuke can't seem to use his Sharingan. If he did, Naruto would really be dead right now. _

_It wasn't that Naruto could not fight. Hell, he defeated Pein just a few months ago and saved Konoha in the process. Even without Kyuubi, he is still strong. He can stand and fight on his own, that much is pretty evident. But for some reason, all the results of his difficult training and boundless optimism seem to go down the drain whenever Sasuke comes into the picture. _

_His pride. _

_His determination. _

_Even his instinct to live. _

_Everything seemed to dissolve whenever Sasuke's around. In fact, nothing ever really made sense when it came to Sasuke. Nothing. 'Then why? Why am I still chasing him?' He asked himself this question a thousand times. He gave up after realizing that he doesn't really care if there is an answer or not. In the end, he doesn't care if none of these ever made any sense at all. Sasuke was his best friend. And that is enough reason for him. _

_He smiled. _

_Even amidst these doubts and hopelessness, he wondered how he can always manage to think of a way to reassure himself. Now if only this impressive amount of confidence can save his ass right this very moment, everything will be perfect._

_It can't. _

_This time, no amount of confidence can bail him out of this ugly mess. _

"_Are you done wasting my time, you piece of shit?"_

_Naruto had not even sensed Sasuke's chakra closed in before he felt the latter's cold hand grab the back of his neck and slammed him to a boulder. He grunted when his whole body kissed the rough, solid surface and tingling pain spread throughout. "Ugh…"_

_Trying to forget the pain, Naruto focused on angling his head to face Sasuke. But even that proved to be futile when Sasuke's grip only became tighter, almost crushing his neck and making it difficult for him to breathe._

_"S-Sasuke-"_

"_Shut it." _

_He felt Sasuke's breath on his ear, "__**You**__ listen to me, and listen well. I will not repeat this again…" _

…_Stop chasing me. The only time that I will come back to that pathetic village is when I am going to destroy it… when I am going __to destroy all of you__."_

_Naruto was taken aback. He wasn't expecting this. "Why, Sasuke? Itachi is already dead, why do you nee—" _

_Before he could finish, Sasuke gripped his neck tighter and once again slammed his head to the rock. His vision blurred and he felt disoriented for a while. His world seemed to tilt of its axis, as he saw things swam before his eyes. He felt warm fluid trickling down his forehead and burning his eyes. He tried to blink it away, but to no avail. "Do not," Sasuke said with gritted teeth, "ever mention that name again. You…and all of Konoha have no right." _

_Breathing heavily, Naruto tried to retort, "…Teme, I don't know what the hell happened. But involving everyone else...those who are innocent, those who don't know anything…"_

_Sasuke laughed. It was awfully bitter. "No one is innocent, Naruto. You, of all people, should know that…" Sasuke leaned in closer, "…Why don't you tell me, Naruto? Tell me how __these innocent people__ treat someone like you…?"_

_Naruto felt something twist painfully in his heart. Don't, Sasuke..._

"_You sickening," Sasuke hissed, "pathetic little shit."_

_"Stop it, teme..."_

"_Is this why you are so desperate on taking me back? Do you feel so alone that you desperately hang on to every bond because no one ever paid any attention to you…because everyone hated you…?"_

_"..." _

_"Am I right, Naruto?"_

[_Monster.]_

_Despite willing himself to not listen, Naruto still felt something trickle down his cheeks. He felt the tears sting the wounds on his face. He gave up trying to face Sasuke, and instead looked away and closed his eyes. For a moment, he thought he was going to bawl right then and there. The insults were not only meant to annoy him. They were said to pierce right through him, to really hurt him. To break him. And damn it, it does hurt. Every word that came out of his rival's mouth was true. Every goddamn word. Biting hard on his lip, he tried to stop his tears from falling and save the small amount of pride that's left of him. _

_It was harder than he thought it would be. But eventually__ his body calmed itself. His breathing became consistent, and his lips stopped quivering in agitation._

_Noticing the lack of resistance, Sasuke's grip briefly loosened. _

"_Giving up?"_

_Focusing his chakra on the other arm and on his feet, Naruto muttered, "Hell no." With one deep gasp of air, he mustered all his strength and using his arm and feet, he pushed as hard as he could. _

_Surprised by the sudden movement, Sasuke lost his hold and was propelled backwards. _

_Once released, Naruto slumped forward, feeling every inch of pain throughout his body (mostly on his torso). He clearly underestimated his injuries. 'Damn you, Kyuubi. Why aren't you healing me?' He managed to stand up halfway when he heard Sasuke's quick footsteps approaching him again. Preparing to defend himself, he was surprised when it suddenly got darker. He looked up, and saw several black figures hovering above him and rushing towards Sasuke. 'Wait, those are—_

_..Ink beasts?'_

"_Sai!"_

_Naruto saw Sai approaching him from a few meters away, and sensed other familiar chakras closing in as well. He let go the breath he was holding, and shouted with his remaining strength, "You guys are late!" _

_Grinning, he wiped the dried blood and tears from his face. He stood up and tried to run towards his teammates. _

"_Katon Gōryūka no Jutsu!"* _

_He barely managed a few feet away when he felt Sasuke's fire jutsu directly from behind. _

'_Oh shit.'_

_Naruto felt the scorching heat even before he saw the roaring flames engulfing him. _

* * *

**"It burns, doesn't it?"**

* * *

Heat. Unrelenting, stubborn heat.

Though he had his eyes closed and his face set in a calm demeanor, the only occupant of the room was sweating profusely. He could feel his clothes stick to his skin while his sweat accumulated throughout his body. It was an uncomfortable feeling. He licked his cracked lips again and feeling the dryness of his throat, swallowed his saliva.

Having been in far worst situations before, he really does not mind the unyielding, prickly heat. Though he would admit—it was a bit peculiar. He never felt such heat before and this alone was disconcerting since fire's his element. He should have been used to this. But there was something about this heat that he could not…understand.

'_Tch.'_ As if he really cared about the fucking weather.

Gradually opening his eyes, Uchiha Sasuke surveyed the room again. This was the second room he was taken to since he "returned" to _Konoha_. This time, it was a clean, white room. For only one occupant, it was spacious but quite bare. There were only three things in the room—an untouched bed at the far right corner, a small urinal at the other side and a wide mirror beside the door. He briefly wondered about the change of reception, but eventually decided that he really doesn't care either.

Lifting both his hands, he examined the newly-placed chakra-restraining seals on his wrists. Compared to chakra bracelets, this kind of seal was much more permanent and effective since they cannot easily be removed and therefore, will last longer. This meant that he would not be able to do any hand seals or techniques for a while. He fingered his ears, and true enough, he felt chakra-restraining ear cuffs attached as well. He inwardly smirked, knowing full well that these ear cuffs are to prevent him from concentrating chakra to his eyes. Apparently, the Council takes no chances. He still has his _taijutsu_ abilities though, but he knew that it would be difficult, if not downright impossible, to survive if he ever resorted to fighting these people using only his bare strength. He didn't want to admit it, but deep inside, he knew that the situation seemed…almost hopeless.

"_Damn."_

He felt his jaw harden as he gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to glare at the mirror. He knew there were people beyond that glass—watching him, recording and scrutinizing his every action. He felt sick. He could have preferred them torturing him, than treating him like a fucking test subject. He closed his eyes again, trying to control the building rage in him.

This was not part of the plan.

None of this would have happened if he did not fight the _idiot—_if he did not waste his remaining chakra on pursuing his old teammate. He should have just ignored him and met up with his own team, as what was agreed on. He should have just turned away. He should have controlled his anger, and turned away. But he didn't. This time, he was the one who screwed up.

And now, he's at their mercy.

He opened his eyes again when he felt a strong chakra approaching the door. This person did not even bother to hide his or her chakra—probably feeling it was no longer necessary. This made his blood run cold. They were clearly underestimating him. He cursed.

The door opened: glaring obsidian meet vicious amber-colored eyes.

"Uchiha. Sasuke."

The last surviving _Sannin _uttered the rogue ninja's name as protracted as she could, giving each syllable the pause that they deserve—but not out of respect, _no_, but of pure and utter revulsion. And she wanted _the brat_ to feel every bit of this abhorrence.

Without taking her eyes off the Uchiha, she opened a scroll and slowly recited**,

"Three years of missing-ninja status...

Two counts of treason.

Assault upon the Five _Kages_.

Kidnapping of the eight-tailed demon host.

Fifteen counts of murder.

Two thousand four hundred forty-one counts of _attempted murder_..."

The _Hokage_ said the last part with evident distaste. She cocked her head to the side as she continued to glare disdainfully at the fugitive. "By all means Uchiha, you should be _dead_…" There was a pause, as Tsunade continued with gritted teeth, "…What can you say for your defense?"

Sasuke smirked. Lifting one hand, he brought his middle finger up.

He barely heard the scroll handle broke when he felt a cold hand grab his neck and harshly pushed him against the wall. Concrete dust lingered on his vision, as the wall easily crumbled behind him. Even with this brutal display of strength, Sasuke knew that the _Hokage_ was still holding back. _Painfully holding back._ He didn't need to second-guess. They still need him alive after all. How laughable, he thought. After all the crimes their _Hokage_ recited, the Council was still ready to overlook them to make use of him. As if on cue, Tsunade spoke—negating all of his previous assumptions, "Everyone wants you dead, Uchiha… Me. The Council. And everyone in _Konoha_. "

She continued. "Even the leaders of the five nations want your head delivered to them and every piece of your body buried to each of their country." Moving closer, the _Hokage_ said with relish, "They are even willing to share." Sasuke felt his nails dig into his palms. He is beyond pissed but he could only stare back and retain his defiant smirk as he felt the tightening (but controlled) pressure on his neck.

"Do I look like I care, _Hokage_?"

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched in annoyance, but frankly, she was expecting that. "Of course you don't. We all hate your pathetic existence, don't we? _Even you_ loathe yourself. How pitiful is that, hm?" Before Sasuke can respond, Tsunade leaned closer. "..Save for one." The last words were said in a whisper that Sasuke barely heard it.

"Save for one. " Tsunade repeated. "...The only fucking reason you're still alive—the only one still keeping you alive right now…is the same person you have tried to kill—thrice." Sasuke's mock smile finally fell. "Tell me Uchiha, how does that feel?"

For a full minute, the two individuals in the room only stared at each other—one with a ferocious glare and the other with a deceivingly unreadable expression. Sighing and looking really exhausted, the _Hokage_ finally released his hold and turned her back from the Uchiha. She picked up the damaged scroll and left without a word.

"Fuck," was all Sasuke could say as he reverted back to his sitting position. The curved and crumbled wall now felt uncomfortable against his back, but he really did not mind. He stared at the floor, unconsciously counting the fallen pieces of the concrete wall as a means to distract himself from his own thoughts. Needless to say, it was futile.

_["…Tell me Uchiha, how does that feel?"]_

The bane of his existence just saved his life. Amidst his efforts, he could feel his burning rage radiating throughout his body. It was beyond humiliating.

It was sickening.

He was so consumed in his own anger that he did not even heard the door clicked open.

A familiar voice spoke, "My, my. Aren't we pissed? Good to see you still alive, Sasuke."

Sasuke looked up and saw an ANBU in front of him. The ANBU's mask gradually turned into orange, as flaring red eyes stared into him.

_"Madara." _

* * *

**Thank you very much for reading! **

*Fire technique: _"Katon Goryuka No Jutsu!" _- "Great Dragon Fire Technique"

** I based the cases on the manga (with estimations).


	3. Reminiscing

_Happy New Year everyone!_

**Warning: **This chapter contains a lot of swearing (mostly from Naruto). Just to remind readers again, this is a male/male romance or Yaoi story. [SaiNaru, eventual SasuNaru].

* * *

**Chapter 3: Reminiscing**

_[Drip]_

_[Drip]_

There's it again—those endless drips of water…

_[Drip]_

Plaguing his mind.

_[Drip]_

Echoing in the deepest recesses of his thoughts…

_[Drip]_

Plunging deeper and deeper into his sanity.

_[Drip]_

Relentlessly… repeatedly…

'_Every fucking time.'_ Naruto thought. _'Screw you, Kyuubi.'_

With an unrivaled resolve, Naruto moved towards the demon's cage and stared at the Kyuubi's perpetually hostile eyes. He did not even flinch when the nine-tailed beast stared down at him with equal hatred. He was used to it.

_[Drip]_

Silence.

Only the continuous dripping of water could be heard as the two continued to glare at each other defiantly. As if daring the beast, Naruto continued moving forward; every step echoing through the bare room. With a few feet away from the beast's cell, the Kyuubi finally let out a deafening roar laced with pure bitterness and wrath; its chains ringing menacingly behind the sealed chamber.

Coupled with the ferocious growl, deep crimson-colored chakra began to fill the small chamber, slipping past the iron gates and creeping towards where Naruto stood. He could feel the heat of the ominous chakra as it slowly began to envelop him and graze his skin. Naruto could practically feel his skin painfully peeling off because of the scorching heat. He gritted his teeth, and with his last bit of consciousness, declared:

"Growl all you want you demon but you will never leave this place."

_Drip._

"**Never."**

Naruto heard one last drip before his whole world faded into black.

* * *

He tried to open his eyes but feeling the sun's rays directly into his face, he gave up and shut them tightly again. It was sweltering and he could feel his face filling up with sweat, with his bangs uncomfortably sticking to his forehead. Someone must have left the window curtains open—and he wasn't appreciative of that. He inwardly growled and tried to lift the uninjured hand to brush the unruly bangs from his forehead, but was surprised when he felt something weighing his arm down.

"Eh?" Naruto tried to move it again, but failed. He panicked.

Not anymore concerned with the sun on his face, he immediately opened his eyes and, to his surprise, found himself strapped to the bed. His whole body, saved for his broken arm which was securely placed on his chest, was strapped to the bed_._ _'What—_

"Good morning, _dickless_. I see you are awake."

**-**_the hell?'_

"Sai..." Naruto slowly uttered as he turned his head to face his teammate who's currently standing by the window and holding book in one hand. Noting the fake smile already evident in the latter's face, Naruto glared at the other with all his might. _'This freaking bastard.' _Naruto thought.

Completely oblivious (or indifferent) to the glare he's receiving, Sai turned his attention back to the book and asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Why am I bound to the bed, Sai?"

"Mm? Sakura asked me to." Sai replied, still smiling and with his eyes glued to the book.

"What! Why?" Naruto's eyes widened.

Sai flipped one page, and answered, "I believe that is to prevent you from running away again."

"Oh."

Cue uncomfortable silence.

"Wait…what?" Naruto asked incredulously, with a voice an octave higher than usual. "But that's—! This is ridiculous! I am **not **running away again, you know!" Naruto tried to glare at Sai, but noticed that the other's attention was still fixed on the book, still with that stupid grin glued to his face. Naruto felt his blood go all the way up. _'Goddamn you SAI! You friggin' son-of-a..'_

"SAI! Oi you asshole, are 'ya listening to me? This is completely uncalled for!"

Using only his brute strength, Naruto tried to struggle and push his way out of the straps. "You." He turned sideways. "Unbound." Pushed towards the other direction. "Me." Tried lifting both his legs at the same time. "Right." He inhaled deeply—then pushed his torso as high as he could. "Now!" It was vain as all his attempts of struggling were proved to be unsuccessful as the straps pulled him immediately right back. "Damn it!" Naruto cursed.

_"_UGH!_" _Naruto kicked the air in frustration and, like a magnet, felt his leg being dragged down immediately again. He swore again.

Trying to calm himself, Naruto ceased his efforts and closed his eyes. _'Why do these things always happen to me?' _He thought as he recited a litany of curses in his head. "_Kami_, this is embarrassing… Just kill me now…" Naruto inwardly laughed. "Ugh, I sound like shit…"

Amused with his teammate's futile efforts and frustration, Sai asked, "…Giving up, Naruto?"

No answer.

Funny, that question seemed vaguely familiar Naruto thought.

"Dickless?"

"…."

"Pantywaist?"

'_Screw you, Sai.'_

"…."

With the uncharacteristic silence that suddenly plagued the room, Sai finally closed his book and turned his full attention towards his teammate, who, Sai noticed, had his eyes closed tightly and his forehead creased as if in deep concentration. That, or Naruto's only trying to control himself from lashing out. Sai was betting on the latter since he could practically feel the dark aura emanating from his injured…friend.

_Friend._

Sai finally dropped the fake expression and let a genuine smile grace his features. _'That's right.'_ Sai thought. '_Naruto. He's my... friend.' _Sai's impassive eyes softened. Thinking back, their friendship seemed almost surreal, since at first, neither had positive opinions or impressions of each other.

It had been more than a year since they first met, he recalled. Their first meeting was not really what anyone would refer to as…genial. It was far from even being civil actually, and a little intense for anyone's liking. Back then, Sai just wanted to measure the abilities of his 'new' temporary teammate by attacking Naruto head-on. He did not expect Naruto to retaliate as violently as he could. Indeed, the blonde was too loud, brazen and unrealistic for his own good—attributes which are very unbecoming of a _shinobi_. Initially, Sai was concerned about this blatant display of personality since this could be a major problem during missions. But then, surprisingly, Naruto's outspoken attitude and undying optimism had saved all of their sorry asses a lot of times.

Indeed. Naruto would always be there to save everyone, his friends, the villagers and even strangers whom he just met.

_What was that word again?_ Ironic. Yes, it sure was ironic, Sai mulled over. No one could have thought that such a rowdy-looking ninja such as Naruto, the number one knuckle-head of the academy could be _Konoha's _hero someday. Really, who could have thought? His superb physical strength coupled with his resilient, unyielding determination is what makes Naruto one excellent _shinobi_, albeit his failures and flawed past. Albeit everything…

"I won't give up you know." Sai raised a brow when Naruto suddenly spoke, breaking him out of his own thoughts. "You just watch, I'll get out of this goddamned straps by myself." Naruto continued, unmindful of the very amused expression of his teammate.

"Heh, and when I do, you better…"

"Naruto."

"…Run for your life 'cause I'm _sooo_ gonna strap you naked and skin your white ass." The blond drawled, smiling.

There was a pause…which was quickly followed by laughter—as the two burst out laughing, one really loud and the other obviously muffled. "Haha! That's a good one. White-_hahaha-a_ss. Hahahaha!" Naruto's bed quaked as his body shook with laughter, temporarily forgetting the tight restraints. "Haha! God, that's funny."

Sai pushed himself off the wall and ambled his way towards his teammate. "Right. Very funny." Inching forward, Sai mockingly said, "I would definitely like to see you try, Naruto."

"Hell yeah I would, hahaha!" Naruto licked his lips and leered at his approaching teammate. "Just you watch out, Sai. You'll never know when I'll strike."

"I better be careful then, hm." Sai said, placing his palm on Naruto's forehead, brushing away the locks from the latter's sweaty brows.

Naruto blinked at the hand. He stared curiously at Sai, not expecting the sudden contact.

"What…are you doing…?" The blond asked.

"….I am taking care of you, Naruto."

"Huuuuh? What are you—?" Naruto's eyes widened significantly when he felt Sai's gloved hand touched his neck and slowly trailed down his collarbone. "Aaaah! Stop it! What the hell are you doing, Sai!"

Sai raised a brow, evidently confused. "What does it look like, Naruto? I am…" Sai let his hands wander further, "…treating you."

"Treating me? What kind of treatment is this? You're freaking touching me all over!" Naruto almost screamed. "Hands off, Sai! Stop touching me!"

Sighing, Sai lifted one hand and placed it under his chin, like in a contemplative manner. "This is not working."

"Obviously! What makes you think this will work? This isn't treatment!"

Sai looked at Naruto for a moment then beamed at him. "Hm. Perhaps I forgot something." Sai opened his book once again and skimmed the pages. Naruto glanced up, finally catching the title of the book ('How to Treat Patients with Utmost Care').

_'Oh... This can't be good.' _Naruto gulped, remembering Sai's infamous misinterpretations of his reading materials.

The blond heard the book close and saw Sai now taking off his gloves. _'This really can't be good…' _

"Erm. S-Sai…"

"Naruto, Did you know…."

'_No, I don't.' _Naruto could feel his sweat trickling down his forehead as he nervously regarded Sai's every movement. _'And I don't think I care to know…' _(Gulp)

Sai continued, "…about Touch Therapy?"

"Touch—what?"

"Touch Therapy." Sai's bare hands are now placed on Naruto's shoulders. "According to the book, a person's touch has healing and therapeutic capabilities." Naruto could barely pay attention as he felt Sai's hands dangerously drifting lower…and lower. "…Since a sick or injured person has a disrupted energy flow, the therapeutic capability of a touch can restore the energy equilibrium by leveling the distribution of energy throughout the body." Sai explained, unmindful of the other's _discomfort_.

"You know, Sai…" Naruto felt his body heating up at every skin contact. He wasn't used to this. Maybe during fights, yes—when punches and kicks made contact with his body. But never in his life did he dream of anyone ever touching him—deliberately for that matter. And the worst part is—he's the only one feeling "really uncomfortable" in this situation. Sai appeared poker-faced as ever as if this was the most normal thing in the world. Naruto cringed at that.

"I think… I prefer… the…um… traditional methods of doing… things."

"But this is the 'traditional' way, Naruto. Before the invention of medicines and other hospital equipment, people use their own body to heal each other…" Sai smiled while explaining, then noticed Naruto's flustered face. "Hey _dickless,_ are you okay? You're…all red."

"Huh? I'm uh, fine."

Cupping Naruto's face, Sai brought his forehead to meet with Naruto's own. "Are you sure?"

Naruto froze. Their noses are barely centimeters away from each other. "J-Just a little hot, I guess." _'Damn it, did I just stutter? What the hell's wrong with me?'_

"Hey Sai, I really appreciate the concern, but you…" Naruto could hear his heart pounding hard in his chest. "…don't really have to do this, really. I can recover on my own, you know."

Sai continued to stare at his teammate. "Sure you will, Naruto. But as a _friend_, shouldn't I take care of you? I should help you in this recovery process."

"No Sai, you see…"

"…They are supposed to be with each other. Sacrifice for one another." Sai interrupted.

Naruto swallowed hard, not wanting where this line of thought is going. "…Love one another." Sai's face inched dangerously forward, with the tip of their nose already touching. "We are friends, right Naruto?"

Naruto's breath hitched in his throat. "Uhh…"

"Is this a bad time?" Both heads quickly turned towards the window.

If it was possible, Naruto's face turned even redder when his mind registered who their intruder is. _'Oh hell no.'_

"Ka-Kakashi-sensei?"

"Yo Naruto. Sai-kun." Kakashi waved, with one hand perched on one side of the window. "I hope I'm not disturbing anything. Were you two—?"

"NO! We are not!" Naruto cried. "Whatever you think we're doing, we're not!"

Sai looked bemused, while Kakashi's eyes seemed to gleam oddly.

"We are not what, Naruto?" Sai asked, a confused expression on his face.

"Eh? You know what I—oh." Feeling all attention suddenly focused on him, Naruto panicked, blaming his hyperactive imagination. "NOTHING! Really, it's nothing! Just…just forget about it!"

"…."

"I mean it guys, just drop it."

Kakashi looked amused. Even with the mask, Naruto could tell that the _damn_ jounin's sneering. _'Damn you, sensei.' _Sai, on the other hand, seems unperturbed with that freakish smile still plastered on his face. _'Damn you too, Sai.'_

Annoyed with his teammates' expressions, Naruto decided to change the subject. "So, Kakashi-sensei, what brings you here?"

"Oh that."

The atmosphere seemed to become tense all of a sudden. "Hokage-sama wants to meet with you to discuss… something really important." Kakashi paused. "You do know what I mean, right Naruto?"

Silence, then Naruto spoke.

"…Is it about Sasuke?"

Kakashi nodded. "It's about the Council's _verdict._"

* * *

Madara's pleased.

He looked at the severely damaged wall then at Sasuke. He smiled. He did not expect everything to fall perfectly into place, but it did. They let Sasuke live—and that could only mean one thing.

"They still need you." Madara said, mostly to himself, since he knew that Sasuke isn't one to give responses. He wasn't disappointed.

The youngest Uchiha did not even move, nor show any signs acknowledging what he said.

"And it looks like you already know that." Madara walked towards his nephew. "But do you know why, Sasuke?"

"I don't care."

Silence.

If there was any reaction between the two, it is just that Madara's smile only deepened. Sasuke's face remained blank. "Oh but I do, Sasuke. I do care." Madara knelt down to meet his nephew's hardened gaze. "Since this is all part of the plan…

…And you, my dear nephew, will play the most crucial role."

"Just spit it out." Sasuke deadpanned. "What do you want me to do?"

"Oh, don't be too impatient, Sasuke. You'll know soon enough."

"Why don't you just _fucking_ tell me what it is?"

Madara looked away, observing his surroundings. "Tell me, Sasuke, can you feel _it_?"

"…."

"This odd heat pervading the whole village…" Madara licked his upper lips slowly. "It's awfully hot, isn't it?"

Madara's smile deepened, with his eyes swimming in delight. "It's chakra, Sasuke."

Sasuke finally looked up, meeting Madara's sinister gaze.

"Kyuubi's chakra is seeping out."


	4. Scheming

_"Can you feel __**it**__, Sasuke..."_

_"Kyuubi's chakra is seeping out."_

* * *

**Chapter 4: Scheming**

Madara watched Sasuke's expression change.

"Kyuubi…" Madara heard Sasuke whisper the name—slowly, as if trying to recall something. He noticed the slight curiosity that suddenly became evident in his nephew's eyes. There were other emotions too that Madara saw linger in the other's face. Interest. Suspicion. _And was that...anger?_

"How?" Sasuke asked curtly, interrupting the older Uchiha's musings.

"It's the Fourth's seal." Madara replied, tearing his eyes away from Sasuke and once again fixing his gaze to the collapsed wall. "It has long been weakening due to the host's frequent use in the past…"

Madara's visible eye flickered in perverse glee. "In addition to the beast's constant manipulation as well which I daresay, is getting rather desperate in its methods."

Sasuke raised a brow. "Desperate?"

"Something changed." Madara replied. "For some reason, the host has ceased relying on the demon—thus further strengthening the control of the cursed seal and prolonging its effect….

…Obviously, the beast isn't too pleased with this development. For it to gain more control, the boy must constantly tap into its immense chakra reserves. With the host's refusal to do so, naturally, the beast feels threatened." Madara paused. "By all means, it should be, since it looks like the _Jinchuuriki _is also doing his part in keeping the demon in line. The boy is doing everything he can possibly do."

"I must say, your teammate has my full respect, Sasuke-_kun_." Madara playfully stated. "He is indeed stronger than he looks. Not everyone can resist the temptation of such…power." Behind the dubious mask, Madara licked his lips with relish, reminiscing the time where he stood face to face with the demon itself. Indeed, the _Kyuubi_'s power was so overwhelmingly enticing. Looking into the demon's deep crimson colored eyes filled with nothing but hatred and lust for destruction had filled him with incalculable desire to conquer the demon—and use it for himself. "It is a pity that the boy does not use it while he _still _has it. Such a waste, really…."

"Just get to the point, Madara."

Madara chuckled, not minding the rude remark from the younger Uchiha. "Not too keen with details, are we Sasuke-_kun_? Shouldn't you be? This concerns your teammate, after all." Madara commented in a mocking tone. Sasuke only continued to stare at him, unresponsive but focused. Indeed, he does resemble Itachi with that astounding level of apathy, Madara thought. However, Itachi's cold nature was proven to be just a façade. Sometimes Madara wondered if Sasuke's _hatred_ is a pretense as well. As if reading his thoughts, Sasuke glared at him—a mute demand for him to continue. Madara smirked. _'Oh, that is genuine, alright.'_ He mused._'Pure, shameless loathing right there.'_

"Hence, this predicament forces the Kyuubi to resort to…_'other' _means." Madara then continued.

"The deliberate proliferation of chakra is one such approach. Little by little, the demon fox releases its chakra outside its host's body. Considering the level of the unusual heat prevailing in the whole village, I say that the demon has started this little scheme after its 8th tail was released—during the time when it was most powerful. That was during the Akatsuki's attack in Konoha a few months ago. Think about it, Sasuke. What would this result to?"

"…."

"In short my dear nephew, since that time, our beloved _Konohagakure_ is gradually filling up with chakra..." Madara explained as he raised both of his hands for emphasis. "…Dangerously filling up with the _demon's immense, lethal chakra_."

"What about it?" Sasuke interrupted, not really understanding why the abundance of chakra would be detrimental to the village. The heat's indeed uncomfortable but it was bearable. Konoha would just have to deal with it, just like in _Suna's_ case where rainfalls are quite rare. It's just a matter of adaptation.

Another deep sounding chuckle echoed in the room. "Oh my, how inconsiderate of me. Of course, you didn't know."

"Know what?"

"About who your teammate really is, Sasuke-_kun_… But oh, I assume you don't really care much about that, do you? I should just get to the point, ne?" Madara replied, savoring the irritation that suddenly flashed in the other's features.

"As you may have already surmised, the tailed-beasts' hosts are not randomly chosen. They are preferred because their bodies can endure the additional strain of a foreign chakra. The _Uzumaki_ boy is one of the very few who share this rare trait. If that massive reservoir of chakra is fused in a normal human body, it would be…well, tragic. The normal body would just decay—with the foreign chakra slowly eating away every organ, every cell of its own host…

…Now, imagine my dear nephew, if that kind of chakra pervades the whole village—seeping into every normal human's skin."

"…."

Madara paused for a brief moment, letting the youngest Uchiha realize the implications. "Ne, Sasuke-_kun_? What do you think will happen?"

"…."

"…Granted enough time, save for the _Kyuubi's_ host, everyone in this pathetic village will die, one by one, very slowly and painfully." Madara's voice deepened even more. "Dreadful, isn't it…?"

Silence.

Already used with the tacit response, Madara continued. "Genius, if I must say. It is indeed a very effective scheme. However, time is not on our side. It would take the _Kyuubi_ at least a year to complete the proliferation process. That is unacceptable." The air in the room suddenly felt heavy and hostile as Madara's stance suddenly became rigid, his visible eye flashing a mixed look of resentment and wrath. "I want to see _Konoha_ burning to the ground… as soon as possible."

"Hence, this is where you come in, Sasuke. I have no doubts that the Council is already aware of the demon's ruse." As if nothing happened, Madara's eyes reverted to its gleeful state. "This is the reason why the old fools let you live, why they did not put permanent seals to your eyes. They want you to use your _Sharingan_ to restrain the _Kyuubi _and stop its chakra from seeping out…

...And you will follow them, Sasuke. You will adhere to every word they say."

Sasuke looked at him in disbelief but before he could make his dissent, Madara continued. "Once they let you inside the seal, I want you to make a deal with the demon fox."

"This is a deal to break the cursed seal…" Madara's orange mask slowly began to fade away—being replaced by a familiar ANBU disguise. "…and **terminate** its human host."

* * *

"Naruto!" Sakura's voice rang in the small ward, calling the attention of a certain blonde ninja. "Will you stop pacing please? You're making me dizzy."

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. It's just..." Naruto looked down. "The old hag had me all worried."

Sakura sighed. Yesterday's meeting with the Hokage had indeed been…"worrisome". Everyone in Team 7 was present in the meeting, including Sai and Captain Yamato. Save for Sai who appeared indifferent all throughout, everyone was on their edge. Even Kakashi-_sensei _seemed really focused, which was quite rare. They were all anxious to know the Council's decision about their former teammate:

_The two most prominent Council elders, Koharu and Homura, were there as well, looking as grim as always. None of them spoke for a while. Even the Godaime Hokage remained silent, seemingly deep in thought and refusing to make eye contact with anyone. Naruto, knowing the Hokage all too well, noticed this and immediately feared the worst. But before he could voice out his opinion, Tsunade spoke. "We have decided to let the Uchiha live."_

"…_."_

"_However, he would still be detained and be under constant supervision…for as long as we see fit." Tsunade paused. "Any questions?"_

"_Wait! That's it?" Naruto asked. Everyone in Team 7 has the same thought in mind. _

_Expecting the retort, Tsunade only waved her hands dismissively. "Yes brat, that's it. Unless of course, you want another verdict to that, I'm sure we can arrange…"_

"_NO!" Naruto and Sakura shouted in unison. Naruto smiled sheepishly, and Sakura looked relieved. "It's already fine, Baa-chan!"_

"_I see." Tsunade glanced back at the two elders, as if having a silent conversation with them. "Oh before I forget, tomorrow you can visit your teammate, provided that you follow the rules of the ANBU detainment center. Are we clear on that?"_

"_Hai, hai!"_

"_Hm. Then this meeting is finished. Dismissed."_

"_Hokage-sama." It was Kakashi's turn to speak. "You're not telling us something."_

_Tsunade stared at the jounin for a moment, an unreadable expression etched on her face. If it weren't for the severity of the situation, she would have been amazed at the jounin's intuitiveness. "And what if I am, Kakashi? What are you going to do?"_

"_Baa-chan!" Naruto interrupted. "What are you not telling us? Is this about Sasuke?"_

_Tsunade brought a hand to her head, massaging her temples. She then replied. "Yes, I'm keeping something and no, I am not going to disclose it to any of you…for the meantime, that is." She glanced at Naruto, who at that moment looked utterly confused and worried. 'If you only knew, Naruto…'_

"_Now, anymore aggravating questions?" Though a thick mist of suspicion remained in the air, this time, no one spoke. "None? Then get out of my office."_

Back to the present: Naruto was once again pacing back and forth in the hallway. They were now in the lowest level of the ANBU headquarters where missing or rogue ninjas are temporarily held. Right now, a lot of things were worrying him; the first and foremost was of course, the condition of his teammate. What if they tortured him severely? Ugh! He couldn't deal with that. He swore he'd tear down this whole establishment if they did treat his rival cruelly. He's the only one allowed to do that. '_Heh, damn right_,' Naruto thought.

The second thing that's bothering him was Tsunade's "big secret". What was that all about? Again, if it concerned Sasuke and it's bad news, he's not sure if he'd be able to handle that. Hell, how can he save his best friend from a death sentence? HOW? He quickened his pace, trying to will all his bad thoughts away. He stopped when he thought of his third and last problem: facing Sasuke. It had been almost two weeks since they last saw each other. Their last meeting was... not that good. His rogue teammate almost killed him again. _'Again!' _Naruto scowled at the thought. _'Damn you, Sasuke."_

"I swear, Naruto, if you don't stop moving…" Sakura threatened, once again cracking her knuckles, "I'll be the one to make you."

"B-but Sa-sakura-chan…." Naruto felt his insides squirm some more.

"Naruto. Sakura-_san._" Sai called out when he felt foreign chakras approaching them. "They're here."

Both stopped instantly and turned towards the direction of the foreign chakra. They saw one of the ANBUs made a sign to follow them, and they did. They all walked in silence. After a few minutes, they stopped in front of a room.

"Please bear in mind that you are only allowed a maximum of 15 minutes for every visit. Any time extension will not be tolerated and will be punished accordingly. Do you understand?"

The three nodded, and entered the room.

Once inside, the first thing they noticed was the damaged wall. Naruto gaped at the extent of the damage, and then immediately turned his attention towards his sitting teammate.

"Sasuke! Are you okay?" Naruto shouted as he ran towards him. _Shit, I knew it! This place is so going down!_

"Hey _teme_!" Naruto knelt down and extended his hands to touch the other's shoulders. But before he could do so, another set of hands gripped his wrists firmly.

"Don't _you_ dare touch me." The other warned.

For a second, Naruto just stared at his rival, processing the words and wondering why his mind suddenly went blank. Then he felt the grip on his wrists tightened. He then understood and immediately pulled his hands away.

"Bastard." Massaging his wrists, Naruto attempted to glare at the other. Though in reality, the glare was an excuse to scan his rival for other, more serious injuries. There were none. He sighed heavily in relief.

"You should be thankful, _teme_. We brought some clothes. You stink by the way."

"…Out."

"And some food! Because you know, prison food ain't that…tasty." Naruto leaned in closer, whispering the last part.

"Get. Out."

"And oh, uh…I don't really know how to say this." Naruto continued, grinning awkwardly.

Sasuke glowered at the other—his eyes, even without the _sharingan_, flaring in sheer loathing. "I said, get the _fuck_ out."

"_Teme._" Naruto stared at the other, seemingly unsure of what to do next. He swallowed hard and inhaled deeply, as if mustering courage. Bringing his hands up once again, Naruto inched closer...and suddenly pulled the other into a tight hug.

"...Welcome back, Sasuke. Welcome_ home_."

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you!


	5. Wanting

**Chapter 5: Wanting**

* * *

_"…Welcome back, Sasuke."_

The air in the room stilled even more. No movements. No words. _Nothing._ Time seemed to have stopped, as everyone was surprised by the unexpected contact. Sakura just stared. Sai's brutally honest comments were left unsaid. Sasuke remained so still that Naruto vaguely wondered if he's still breathing at all.

As for Naruto, he knew he was trembling; his heart thundering in his chest, his breathing becoming too controlled and uneven, palms sweating, hands shaking- his mind, his whole being, wrought with so many emotions and memories. Every fiber of his being was reacting in a way he was not really expecting or understand. It's as if his body moved on its own, and his mouth spoke the words he always wanted to say. Unconsciously, he must have wanted this. But _damn it_, could this get any more awkward? In his head, everything seemed so strange. It doesn't feel wrong or anything but it still feels... _odd_.

He honestly thought it would be different.

He was seriously convinced that though it would be really awkward when he meet his rival again, that still wouldn't stop him from beating the hell out of him—just to force some freaking sense on that stubborn, pretty head of his. But apparently, he didn't. This knock-some-sense-to-your-rival-greeting wasn't the first thing that came to his mind when he saw the Uchiha. _**Instead**_, Naruto boldly closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around his elusive best friend—like a g_oddamn_ lifeline—as if the other would disappear again.

For a brief moment, Naruto was filled with undeniable pride for it was obvious that the bastard clearly did not expect that. This must be one of the few rare moments where Naruto actually took the other by surprise. If it were not for the extremely tense and suffocating atmosphere, he would have sneered at the situation and mocked the Uchiha for the unusual display of "humanity". That would have been amusing but apparently…he couldn't. Not this time. Not anymore…

Because things are different now. Even a blockhead like him can recognize that simple, brutal fact of their already severed "bonds" and its implications. They can no longer throw insults at each other, or bicker, or compete with each other. They can no longer treat each other as comrades or at least acquaintances. They were no longer friends. They are strangers now. No. They are worse than strangers now.

_They are enemies._

Two people fighting for different ideals and goals. One to protect, and the other to avenge. One to save, the other to kill. And this vicious antagonism had been proven many times, as if their friendship had never existed.

…Because not too long ago, Naruto almost died in the hands of this person.

Two weeks ago, he was so close to being burned to a crisp. If it were not for Yamato-_taichou's_ wood _jutsu_ that protected him just in the nick of time from the Uchiha's fire technique, he would have been delivered to _Konoha_ in a jar as mere ashes. Naruto cringed at the memory.

Just as Naruto was about to let go, he felt a cold hand weighed down on his shoulder. Sasuke's hair brushed the side of his cheeks as the former leaned in closer. Warm breaths tickled his ear as Sasuke suddenly began to speak. "...Why don't you stop this little charade of yours, Naruto?"

"Huh?"

"It's getting too repetitive…and _irritating_." Naruto felt the weight on his shoulder increase as the other's grip tightened, pressing more to the flesh. But the impassive tone remained, albeit a little lower as the Uchiha continued. "We all know that all of these mean nothing to me now. You. And everything else…

…So why the _fuck_ do you keep on doing this?"

One blond eyebrow twitched in severe annoyance. Naruto immediately stood up—all his prior feelings forgotten as he brashly hoisted the other up by the collars and looked straight to his rival's eyes. "You…" Naruto swallowed the huge lump in his throat as he tried to find words that can absolutely express his growing frustration regarding the bastard. "…_Goddamn you_ bastard! Why the hell do you keep on asking, huh? You should fucking know that by now, Sasuke! Even if our friendship means nothing to you, it means something to me! To us! Sakura-chan and I! We…we never gave up on you! Because you're our friend, _teme_! We care about you!"

Sakura stepped forward. "Naruto…"

"We did everything to get you back here...to save you, you bastard!"

"…."

The Uchiha simply stared down at him, still with those cold, blank eyes. Unfeeling. Devoid of warmth or recognition.

'_Just like that. __You threw all of us away just like that.' _Naruto thought, feeling something burn in his chest—ripping, searing deep into his heart. It was painful. It took him years to outgrow the rejection of his own village, and now, seeing the same look from someone very close to him made everything more unbearable.

_'Why?'_

Naruto felt his eyes sting. His hands that gripped the other's shirt are trembling again. But now, it wasn't really anger that gripped his heart. It was a feeling of sadness. Of desperate longing… _Of wanting_…

Wanting…?

Naruto froze. _'Wanting what?'_

Confused by his own thoughts, Naruto's grip slowly loosened. _'Wanting…what?' _He repeated to himself as he let his hands let go of the other and fall weakly to his sides. _'What do I...?' _Naruto looked at Sasuke again,_ '…really want?'_

Silence.

Naruto just stared at his rival's vacant eyes, trying to work out something in his mind. _'What do I want?_' Then, as if by some force, his gaze drifted down lower to the Uchiha's nose, then to his lips…down to his neck…then to the collarbone… and finally, to his chest. Unconsciously, Naruto lifted his right hand and touched his own chest, where his heart is. He felt his heart beating madly in his chest. He looked back again at Sasuke's eyes and felt his face immediately heating up.

And then it hit him. The realization finally hit him like a thousand _shuriken_ fixed on one spot.

_'No….' _Naruto unconsciously stepped back. _'No way.' _Naruto willed himself to look away from the Uchiha's heartless gaze…and languidly turned around.

"Naruto?" He heard Sakura say his name. "Are you okay?"

"…."

"Hey _dickless_." Sai looked at him as well, surprisingly with a rather anxious expression. Minus the insult, Naruto could've appreciated the concern.

"Uh, Sakura-chan, I just…remembered. I think I need to…do something…else." Naruto distractedly stated. "So uh, I'm going first. See you guys around." He waved his hand half-heartedly as he made his way to the door. He felt all eyes set on him, but he didn't care as he left the room hurriedly without saying anything else.

* * *

_'This can't be happening…' _Naruto slumped his head dejectedly on the training post. He felt his forehead ache at the hundredth time he slammed it to the aggravating chunk of wood. And damn, for all his sixteen years of training, the wood sure is durable as it still stands despite the abuses he had given to it. Despite the million headbutts and punches and kicks, the training post still stands. Naruto wasn't sure if he's going to be amazed or annoyed by the remarkable show of endurance. But to hell with it, he doesn't really care.

He wiped the sweat dripping from his face. It was already half past six, but it still felt strangely hot. He had already taken of his jacket but the humidity of the air weighed down on his naked torso, making him feel heavier. Maybe it's just because he was really tired today—both mentally and physically drained. Actually, it was more of mental exhaustion. His whole day had been spent on thinking. For one whole day. Damn, who knew plain old thinking would be this hard? And this better not turn into a habit, he told himself.

He squeezed his eyes shut—praying that sleep finally takes over. He doesn't want to think about it anymore. Everything that happened that morning with the ungrateful bastard deserved to be shoved in the deepest, most hidden recesses of his memory.

'_Why do I care so much?'_

"Aw crap! Again?" Naruto shouted. "Bad thoughts, just leave me the hell alone!"

Naruto gritted his teeth, and punched the post again. "Stupid, stupid thoughts!" He kicked with all his remaining strength, causing some wood fragments to fall to the ground. "Stupid, stupid _teme_!"

Naruto slumped forward again and sighed heavily. "I'm getting crazy. What's wrong with me?"

_I want him. I __**want**__… him._

"I…." Feeling a familiar sense of misery seep into his system, Naruto let his head sag to his chest. "Guess the bastard's right. I really am pathetic…

…All these years, huh? And I didn't even realize it."

Slowly, Naruto lifted his head to gaze at the darkening sky. It had not rained for such a long time so the stars were all visible, and the moon, oh the moon looked really nice. Since it's a full moon, he could see the details perfectly, and it's really beautiful. Pale. Cold. But immensely beautiful…

"Jeez, all this sentimental shit." Naruto laughed at himself. "Damn you, Sasuke-bastard, if you're not beating the hella out of me, you're screwing with my mind."

___["You and everything else…don't mean anything to me anymore."]_

Naruto bit his lip—hard. He can taste the blood that oozed from the new wound on his mouth. "Do you really mean everything that you said, huh _teme_?" He looked away from the skies, suddenly aware that the moon kind of reminds him of someone he should forget for the time being. He sat on the grass and slowly, let his body fall to the ground. As he rests on the soft mound of earth, he finally let sleepiness take him over completely.

_[Monster.]_

He did not even feel the single tear that cascaded down his face as soon as he closed his tired eyes.

* * *

"Naruto."

"….Huh..?"

Strong but gentle hands grip his shoulder. "Hey Naruto, wake up."

"Nnngghh..Go away." Naruto groggily said. "I'm sleeping, damn it."

"…."

Gloved hands cupped his face, and Naruto felt warm breaths close to his face. "Would you like me to kiss you then…to wake you up, _dickless?_"

Naruto froze at that. "Wha—?"

Though still tired, Naruto quickly opened his eyes. He was surprised to see that it was still dark. Annoyed, he sat up and glared at the other. "What the hell, Sai? Kissing people to wake them up… wherever did you get the idea?"

Sai cocked his head a little, as if trying to remember something. "Hm? Well, a few days ago, Ino-san gave me a book. She said it's a thank-you gift for calling her _beautiful _when we first met. It is a small novel actually, entitled _The Sleeping Beauty. _She said the book reminds her of me…."

"…."

Naruto just stared at the other—debating whether he's going to punch the hell out of the creepy _shinobi _for almost kissing him or laugh at his response. "It's a fairytale, Sai."

"Well, it is actually pretty good."

"Yeah, yeah." Suddenly feeling really cold and exposed, Naruto looked away to try to find his jacket. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Sakura-san asked me to find you."

"Mm…why?"

"You suddenly left the headquarters."

Naruto stiffened. "Oh." He then looked at Sai again and brought one hand up to scratch the back of his head, like in an apologetic manner. "Sorry about that."

"She was concerned because you seemed upset when you left. Is everything okay, Naruto?"

"Yep! Everything's fine." Naruto berated himself mentally for replying too fast. But he really couldn't help it. He doesn't want to talk about it anymore, let alone think about it. He just wants to forget everything for the meantime. "You don't have to worry, Sai. I'm okay, you know. Thanks for the concern."

"…." Sai stared at him, with eyes that seem to pierce through his soul. "_Baka_."

"Excuse me?"

"You are a bad liar, Naruto."

"I'm not lying!" Naruto shouted. "I just don't want to talk about it, okay!"

"…."

"Look, I'm sorry Sai. I'm just… I don't want to think about it anymore."

Sai smiled. Naruto couldn't tell if it was a fake or not. "I understand. I will not ask anymore."

"Thanks." Naruto put on his jacket and gathered his things, ready to leave. "Well, uh, see you tomorrow then."

"Would you like to go out, Naruto?"

Naruto stopped in his tracks. Did he hear it right? Did Sai just ask him out? He turned to look at the other. "What?"

"Well, you see…" Naruto noticed the slight blush that graced the other's features. He couldn't help but sneer as he approached his pale teammate. Sai tried to look away as he continued. "I read in a book that when your friend is feeling down about something, you should try to cheer them up. I may not know what is bothering a moron like you, but I still want to help." Sai smiled. This time, Naruto was sure it was genuine.

"As a friend." Sai finished.

Naruto grinned back. This was really unexpected and for some reason, this simple gesture made Naruto really happy. Though Sai's still awkward at this kind of things, he can see that he's really trying…and he's improving as time goes on.

"Sure, asshole. Your treat!"

* * *

"Screw you, Sai. This isn't a _ramen_ stand." Naruto commented as they entered the pub. Sai just shrugged and went ahead towards the counter.

The small bar reeked of sweat and alcohol. Though the establishment looked new, its small size and dark motif made Naruto feel slightly claustrophobic. It was already very late, but people still gathered and hang around the small pub. Naruto looked around and was thankful that there were no familiar people around. If there were, he wasn't sure what he'll do. If Tsunade _baa-chan_ or the other elders knew of this, he's sure they won't be very pleased. He stole a glance at his companion who seemed to be unperturbed by the ambience of the establishment.

"Ramen shops and other restaurants are already closed at this time, Naruto." Sai said as he sat down and called the attention of the bar owner. "Two bottles of sake, please." The owner nodded and left to get the order.

"Wait…_sake_? We're going to drink _sake_?" Naruto stared wide-eyed at the other. "Is that even allowed?"

"Oh, I am sorry. Do you want juice then, miss?"

One vein throbbed in Naruto's temple. "Fine. _Sake_ it is!" Naruto then sat down beside his companion. "Tch. I'm not fragile, you know. Ero-_sennin_ used to bring me to adult-places such as this. And when he's not looking or too busy ogling his…women, I drink his _sake. _So my tolerance is pretty high." Naruto lied.

"Oh. That's good then."

"So you jerk, don't drink too much 'cause I don't want to be the one carrying your ass back to your apartment."

Sai smiled. "Don't worry, Naruto. I'm sure I can manage."

"You better."

_Six cups later…._

"And then, the bastard (hic) just freakin' slammed me to a boulder (hic)!" Naruto woozily drawled, or rather shouted, as he brought another cup to his lips, downing the half of its content, and spilling the other half to his chin. "…that ungrateful (hic) bastard…."

Naruto tapped his cup to the table, motioning for the other to fill it up again. Sai who's still very much sober, complied and continued to listen to his teammate's rants. "I just wish (hic) that he'd stop being such an ass, you know (hic)."

"…that he'd stop making Sakura-_chan_ cry…"

"…or worry Kakashi-_sensei_…"

"…or hurt other innocent people (hic)…" Naruto stared at his full cup, feeling suddenly confused on what to do with it. _'Oh yeah, drink.' _He then brought his cup to his lips and this time, swallowed the whole content. His vision immediately doubled and felt something pound in his head. "Ugh. Shit."

"Naruto?"

The blonde looked at the other with a totally fazed and flustered expression. Sai took this as a sign that it's already time to leave. "You are drunk, _dickless. _Let's go." Sai placed some bills at the table. He then tried to hoist the other up. But he froze when Naruto's hand touched his cheek.

"Hey..." Naruto dazedly uttered. "Has someone ever (hic) told you that you look like (hic) that bastard?"

Sai had just barely processed the question when another tan hand found its way on his other cheek. He could only stare at Naruto's parted lips as the latter loomed in closer to his face.

"Sas…" Naruto whispered as he slowly closed his eyes. Sai then felt something wet brush his own lips. It was soft, though a bit cracked. His eyes widened when he realized what it was. _Naruto was kissing him_. Stunned, he pulled back—bringing Naruto with him and causing the blonde's head to hit the table with a loud thud.

"Ouch. What the hell? _Ittai. _That hurts." Naruto stroked his aching forehead. He then looked around, feeling a bit sober all of a sudden. "Where am I again?" The blond then noticed his teammate, who is currently wide-eyed and staring at him with a flushed expression. "Sai…? What's wro-?

But before he could finish, Sai had rushed towards him. Naruto heard Sai say something like "Naruto, you idiot…" before he felt two gloved hands cupped his face fervently and a wet, soft mouth pressing hard on his own. Hungrily. Forcefully.

_"Wait a fucking minute…"_


	6. Hiding

**Chapter 6: Hiding**

* * *

_Ba-thump._

Too stunned to process what was happening, Naruto's widely opened eyes just gaped at the other's tightly closed ones. Noses touching. Cheeks grazing against each other. Wet, sloppy lips pressed together. Bodies so intimately attached. _So close._ They were _so damn close_. Something was pounding hard in his chest. Was it his heart? No, the distinct, erratic heartbeats couldn't be his—because he was sure that once his teammate suddenly closed the gap and touched his face, he already felt his own heart stop.

_Ba-thump._

And then there's the unmistakable heat. It was strange. With their faces squeezed together, Naruto vaguely wondered how such a pale face can feel so warm against his own skin.

Sai feels so…unexpectedly warm.

_Ba-thump._

_Another hushed breath_. Naruto allowed one more breath, before he finally let his clenched fist find its way to the other's face—harshly connecting to the jaw line and ending with a faint crack—sending the other staggering a few feet away. Naruto felt his head throb painfully again due to the sudden movement but he ignored it.

"SAI! You...you…!" Naruto tried to sound calm but his shaky voice and very flustered expression did not allow it. "I'm already awake! What the hell was that for?"

The other brought his hand to his face, stroking the bruise that was starting to form. For the moment, Sai let his gaze stay at the floor—intentionally avoiding the other's frenzied stare.

"Hey you jerk! I'm talking to you!"

Sai closed his eyes, trying to compose himself. "You started it, _dickless_."

"W-What? I did?" Naruto was now close to panicking—racking his brains to remember what indeed happened seconds before Sai did the…unthinkable. '_Crap, I don't remember. Shit. Shit. Shit. Did I do something? Did I s-say something?'_

"Yes, you did." Came the curt reply. Sai finally brought his gaze to meet with Naruto's exasperated ones. "You are obviously drunk."

"And you think kissing me would bring me back to my senses?"

"Well it worked, didn't it?" Sai grinned. From Naruto's standpoint, it almost looked like a sneer. "You seemed all right now. Unlike earlier, I bet you can find where your penis is now, right idiot?

Naruto almost choked in his own spit. "You…_asshole_!" Bringing his fist up, he lunged forward—intent on wiping the pathetic smirk off the other's still smiling mug.

"Pantywaist." Sai said as he easily evaded the clumsy frontal attack. He heard Naruto cursed as the latter almost stumbled in his own feet as he tried to hurl his other fist. Not to be easily discouraged, Naruto crouched down to deliver a kick to the other's legs. Sai anticipated this and merely leaped a few steps backward. "Too slow, Na—." He was cut off when a blur suddenly appeared in front of his face and felt a strong, firm grip around his collar. '_That…' _Sai blinked.

'…_was fast.' _Even in such a state…

"Heh. Gotcha, you jerk."

"Oi you two." Both of the ninjas immediately turned towards the voice. It was from the bar owner. "If you want to kill each other, do it outside. I don't want any trouble here…" The owner looked at them in straight in the eye. Naruto inwardly cringed. "…or damages."

Feeling a little conscious that they were now the center of attention, Naruto quickly let go of the other and as a habit, brought his hand to the back of his head and bowed slightly a few times. "Uh, ehehe, _gomen, oji-san_." Naruto grinned sheepishly. "We're just joking around." Naruto then elbowed his teammate prompting him to apologize as well. Sai just looked at the owner and then at him, clearly oblivious to everything. He waited for Sai to say something but the latter remained unresponsive and continued to stare at him. _'Tch. Creepy bastard.'_

"So uh, we're going now." Still feeling a bit disoriented, Naruto decided to just deal with… whatever happened between them tomorrow. He resorted to lightly punching the shoulder of his teammate. "Hey bastard, let's scr—." Naruto froze when he felt a sudden searing pain shot through his stomach. Slowly, as if in a daze, he brought his right hand to grasp the part where his seal is. It was hot. It felt like his insides were being torched and his skin was peeling right off.

_Ba-thump._

_Ba-thump… Ba-thump…_

"Naruto?" Sai noted the sudden rigidity in his teammate's movements. The blonde did not even move, still wide-eyed and clutching his stomach. Worried, Sai hurriedly moved in front of his teammate and placed his hands on the latter's shoulder.

"Oi dickless, what's wrong?"

Naruto's face slowly contorted, evidently in pain. He could feel sweat starting to form in his forehead. He increased the pressure on his stomach to momentarily ease the excruciating feeling…but it was futile. The pain only worsened, with every ounce of pressure sending shockwaves throughout his body. It felt like something is clawing deep inside his body, ripping out every organ, tearing them apart then burning them.

It burns…Everything feels like it's burning…

_"Make it stop."_ Naruto gritted his teeth and wrapped his arms around his midsection, trying to suppress a scream with all the self-control he could muster.

"That's it _dickless_, we are going to the hospital." The voice was low and calm, but the urgency of the tone made it sound like an order. He heard other muffled voices too in the background but he could barely focus now as he started to see red spots that seem to multiply and expand in his vision. _'Wait a minute, that's…'_

…_the demon's chakra.' _Naruto stared in utter horror as the red chakra completely manifested itself and began to surround him.

"No… no…."

And he finally screamed.

* * *

The wet towel felt like heaven on his hot forehead. The bed was comfortable too, with the softness just the right amount. Not only that, the temperature in the room felt kind of cool as well, unlike the faulty ventilation in his apartment. He smiled. Oh yes, this is the life. Who knew hospital rooms could be this nice? He could easily get used to this.

Now, if only the creepy bastard would just stop staring…

"Why are you smiling?"

"Why the hell are you staring?" Naruto then opened his eyes to glare at his teammate.

"Don't flatter yourself, _dickless_. I am not."

"Yes you are, and will you stop calling me that?"

"…No."

Naruto narrowed his eyes, but the other seemed not to notice or care. '_Heh, and they call me dense.'_

"You know Sai, it's really nice here, you know." Naruto paused to look at his surroundings. The room was not that big but it was really neat. There's a single drawer at the side and small framed paintings adorn the wall. Naruto looked at his teammate again. "And then there you are…gaping at me like I'm a friggin' piece of meat. It's extremely uncomfortable, you know…

…People don't like to be stared at, Sai. Haven't you read that in one of your books or something?"

"Mm. I think I did." Sai finally looked away. For the first time, Naruto noticed the bags under the other's eyes. _Wait, he hasn't…_

Naruto forced himself to sit up. "Hey Sai, have you slept yet? You didn't just sit there the whole night, did you?"

Sai shook his head. "I haven't."

"What! Why?"

"I didn't need to. I feel fine." Sai then leaned casually in his chair. "And besides, you're sleeping in my bed. I don't have any other place to sleep."

"…Oh."

Silence.

"Wait…what? _Your bed_? This is your bed?" Naruto was fully sitting now, fully awake and extremely close to panicking. "Why the hell am I in your bed? In your… room?" Naruto scanned his surroundings again, and indeed, it would make sense that this isn't a hospital room. The off-white covers of the bed. The paintings in the wall. The old but expensive-looking drawer at the side. The polished, wooden floors. And the faint smell of dry ink in the background. Everything just screams of his teammate and yet…

"No way. How can I be so stupid?" Naruto face-palmed, mentally berating himself for not noticing the setting earlier. All his training and he's still as unobservant as ever. His _senseis_ would be greatly disappointed. "This really is your room."

"Well obviously, where else did you think you are?"

Naruto looked away, feeling suddenly embarrassed. "Somewhere else! Oi, why am I here? Answer my question first!"

Sai's gaze returned to him. "Do you recall what happened last night?"

"Last night?" Naruto's face scrunched up as he tried to remember. _'Oh yeah, the bar.' _He felt his head throb rather painfully again as bits of his memory come back. _'And then, Sai and I fought. Why did we fight again? Uh… I don't remem— Wait a goddamn minute!' _Naruto felt his face suddenly heat up, as the reason for their fight came back to him in full force. _'No freaking way!' _He swallowed hard, and then looked straight to his teammate's eyes.

"Hey, did we, uh…did you...?" He mumbled while Sai just stared back at him, waiting.

"Did I what, _dickless_?"

"…kiss me?" Naruto asked in a very low, meek voice that it almost seemed like a whisper. Somehow he wished he had refrained himself from asking since it wasn't really important or beneficial to him. But damn it, his curiosity was killing him.

Sai's eyes widened for a split second. "That…was an accident."

"I knew it!" Naruto was standing now, with his index finger pointing rudely at the other. "You, you pervert!"

"You are so loud, Naruto. It's an accident. Just forget about it." And then he smiled. Naruto immediately knew it was a fake. "Unless of course, you want me to repeat it..."

"Why you..!" Feeling really humiliated, Naruto grabbed a pillow and threw it forcefully towards his sitting teammate. The other caught it effortlessly.

As if nothing happened, Sai tossed the pillow back to Naruto and reverted back to his usual, impassive expression. "But that's not what I was referring to, Naruto."

The blond just looked away and feeling his vertigo returning, sat down again.

"Whatever, bastard. You're right, let's just forget what happened last night. It wasn't important anyway."

"Naruto, I was talking about the red chakra."

Naruto froze.

"What…?" And then he remembered. Hushed voices around him. Crimson-colored chakra seeping through the seal, encircling him. And the pain. The excruciating, burning pain that racked his entire body. He shuddered.

Tentatively, Naruto placed his hand on the seal. "So…it wasn't a dream after all. It did happen and I…."

"…Naruto."

"Did anyone else see it?" Naruto closed his eyes, gripping his shirt tightly. "Did I…hurt anyone?"

Sai remained silent for a moment, with his gaze still fixed on his teammate. He then crossed his arms and looked away, remembering the time where he first saw the _Kyuubi's_ form. That was when they fought Kabuto and Orochimaru at the Bridge of Heaven and Earth. Because of sheer wrath, Naruto had lost control, letting the demon consume him and even attacked Sakura. If it weren't for Yamato-_taichou's_ seal, they wouldn't have managed to survive.

"Some people may have noticed it. And no, you have not hurt or injured anyone. You collapsed right after the chakra manifested itself."

"Oh." Extremely relieved, Naruto let his head fall to his chest, lifting both of his hands to cover his face. "Thank God. I didn't know what I would do if…."

"_Baka_." Sai finally stood up and moved towards his teammate. "I was there. I would have stopped you if it came to worse. So don't…" Sai paused, trying to find the correct words to say. "I mean, don't worry too much about it." He then smiled. "And besides, too much brain activity might damage your small brain, _dickless._"

Naruto smiled back. "Shut up, you jerk."

"….."

"Hey Sai."

"Mm?"

"You haven't answered my question. Why am I here? Why didn't you bring me to the hospital?"

"They will know."

"What?" Naruto looked at his teammate, utterly confused.

"Those were the words you kept on repeating while I was carrying you to the hospital… I assume that you would not want anyone to know of your…condition, so I brought you here." Sai continued. "And besides, my apartment is nearer."

"Oh..." '_And I call him dense.'_

"Well, um…" Naruto smiled again, really grateful at what the other did. "Thank you, Sai. I really appreciate it, man."

"No problem, idiot. Anytime."

"…."

Both of them just stared at each other, completely unsure of what to do. Though this kind of silence was rare between them, they didn't find it uncomfortable or unnerving. Somehow, between unsaid words, they have realized something crucial in each other, and have made an understanding between them.

_Bonds. This is why they are worth clinging on to... Amidst everything._

"You really are a great friend, Sai.

_Thank you.._."

* * *

"There is food in the fridge. No ramen though." Sai said as he adjusted his kunai pouch. "Lock the doors when you leave."

"Eh? Where you goin'?" Naruto asked while drying his hair with a towel. He just finished his bath.

"I have been summoned." Came the curt reply.

"Oh." Naruto frowned. It must have been from that creepy old guy, Danzo. "See you later then."

Sai nodded. "Naruto…"

"What?"

Sai looked at him, as if to say something. But he didn't and just turned around. "…Nothing." And he left.

"Not dense…but still freakin' weird." Naruto commented as he watched the other leave through the window and disappeared amongst the rooftops.

The blond then sat down, thinking of what he will do for the rest of the day. _'Oh yeah, I have to meet with the team this afternoon. And then, uhh….meditate after that or ask Baa-chan for missions._ _Maybe I can also visit Teme, if I can face him, that is (sigh). If that doesn't work out too well, I'll just go to the Ichiraku's with Iruka-sensei! Yosh! Nice plan, Naruto!' _Mentally congratulating himself for such a well-conceived time schedule of the day, he then fixed his clothing and gathered his things.

He cast one look at Sai's apartment, a smile gracing his lips.

"What a really nice place…." Naruto then closed the windows, locked the doors and left.

He had not gotten too far when three ANBUs appeared, forming a triangle surrounding him. Naruto smirked. "Heh, I was wondering when you'll show up. You've been following me since I left the apartment. Actually, no...even before that, I'm pretty sure that one of you was on the rooftop while I was still there."

"Uzumaki Naruto-kun."

"Yep?"

"You have to come with us."

"And why would I do that?"

"The _Konoha_ Council is expecting you."

"Oh." Was all he could reply. On the outside, Naruto looked calm and confident. But deep inside, he was panicking. '_Shit. Shit. Shit. Is this about Sasuke's trial? I knew it. It wasn't over. Maybe this is part of Baa-chan's big secret. Big awful secret.' _

Naruto mentally shook his head to will all his negative thoughts away. _Stay positive, Naruto. _He took one deep breath.

"Fine, lead the way."

* * *

It was big.

No, that was an understatement. The courtroom (or is this a torture chamber?) was colossal. You could easily fit two _Gamabunta_ in here. Naruto was actually tempted to summon the giant toad to verify his theory. But he restrained himself, seeing that he wouldn't want any more attention than he was being subjected to right now. All of the Council Elders have fixed their attention on him since he entered. And damn it, it's really making him feel really _small._ The only person not looking at him right now is the Hokage who has her eyes fixed on one of the doors, like she wants to make a run for it. '_The old hag's acting really weird these days. I wonder what's wrong.'_

"So, uhh…what's up?"

Just as expected, he received no response. As he's about to make a second comment, the door to his right suddenly opened, revealing the form of the old guy he had just thought about this morning—Danzo. The ROOT leader was followed by two ninjas and… Sai. He blinked.

"Sai. Hey." The other nodded at him for acknowledgment but said nothing in return. _'Hm. Weird. No greetings, no insults… What's up with these people?'_

"It is time to start." One of the Elders motioned to one of the Jounin guards. "Bring him here."

The Jounin bowed and disappeared in a puff of smoke. After a few seconds, the door to Naruto's left opened. Uchiha Sasuke stepped in, escorted by four ANBUs, one in each side of him. _'So this really is Sasuke's trial. But where are Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei?"_

"And now, we shall begin."

One of the male Elders stood up and performed a hand seal. He then placed his palm on the floor. The floor immediately lit up. Naruto watched as the chakra began to trace the lines of a circular image. As the chakra dissipated, he could make out a circle filled with different characters and intricate designs. '_This image seems familiar. Where have I seen this before?'_

"Uzumaki-kun."

"Yo."

"Please step inside the circle."

"W-What? Me? Why…?" He then looked again at the circular image. Naruto's eye widened as he realized that this look exactly like his cursed seal.

'_What the hell is going on here?'_

* * *

**A/N: Guys, thank you so much for reading! Thank you!**


	7. Confessing

**Chapter 7: Confessing**

* * *

**Hours before the start of the Konoha Council Meeting**

_"You have to understand, Tsunade. We have no choice but to do this."_

_The Hokage balled her fists. It was taking all of her efforts to just sit there and listen to the advices of the damn old geezers surrounding her. Two of the pens in front of her were already broken, indicative of her poor attempts to stop herself from destroying things. She was never really good at controlling her anger in the first place or listening to anyone's opinion, but damn it she was trying._

_"I do understand that." She said and grabbed another pen, flicking it. "What I don't understand," she continued with gritted teeth, now gripping the pen between her fingers, "is why we can't tell him."_

_One of the male Elders cleared his throat. "If we inform the host about the restraining process, there is a big possibility that the Nine-Tailed demon would also know, since they basically share the same body and consciousness. Once the demon knew of our plans, I daresay it will do anything in its power to stop us." He coughed a few times before speaking again. "Wouldn't that be more problematic, Hokage-sama?"_

_"I am fully aware of that." Tsunade looked straight at the Elder, meeting his cynical gaze. "But don't you think that hiding the fact from the host is pointless? The Kyuubi already knows everything about Naruto. It wouldn't matter whether we do not divulge any information to the brat. The Kyuubi will know eventually. Ergo, it's no use trying to hide anything from it... That is why I believe that we have to tell Naruto first, before we let the Uchiha—."_

_"You have a point, Tsunade." Homura spoke, rudely interrupting Tsunade's argument. The Hokage felt his grip on the pen increased. "However, we have already talked about this. It would be safer to try our methods first."_

_"You're going to treat this like an experiment?" Tsunade asked incredulously._

_"We prefer calling it as a precautionary method." Homura replied matter-of-factly. "First, we need to know if the restraining process will work. The Uchiha's bloodline limit is needed for that."_

_"And if it doesn't?" This time, Tsunade was the one to cut in. "If this 'precautionary method' of yours fails, what would you do? More importantly, how do you guarantee the brat's safety?" Tsunade finally tore her eyes away from the Elder, speaking with a voice so uncharacteristically grave. "I don't even trust the Uchiha. What if he does something with the Kyuubi…? Both of them shouldn't be trusted or taken too lightly."_

_"We understand your concerns, Tsunade."_

_"Do you now?" The Hokage remarked mockingly. "You know, I do think I'm the only in this room sane enough not to trust the person who swore vengeance on our village. I don't even know how you manage to talk him into this."_

_"You are wrong if you think we even trust him." Homura declared. "We don't. None of us do." The others nodded to concur._

_Koharu raised her palm to call the attention of everyone. "Listen, Hokage. It is you who should not take us and our decisions too lightly. You should not disregard the fact that we have discovered this problem far longer than you have, and have therefore reflected more on it than you have. We do not trust the Uchiha as well, but there is nothing more we can do about that. He is the only one who has the capability to restrain the demon. Relocation of the host is not an option as you may know. Simply waiting here, arguing about everything won't solve the problem either."_

_Tsunade visibly scoffed at that but the Elder continued. "And to answer your question, yes, we have indeed thought about the consequences, and make our preparations for them. That is why we agreed to let Danzo assist us with our plans."_

_"That old scumbag?"_

_"Mind your language, Hokage."_

_"Yeah whatever." Tsunade replied, unconcerned with the Elders' disapproving stares. "What about Danzo? What do you need him for?"_

_"Like you, his main concern is the Uchiha's loyalty. He's here to lend us an extra hand to ensure that everything will go smoothly." Koharu added. "...To guarantee that the Uchiha won't do anything unnecessary and dangerous."_

_"You mean treacherous. I can't even discern why you refuse to say that out loud." Tsunade sighed. "And how is he going to help then?"_

_"He offered one of his men to keep an eye on the Uchiha, and to ensure the host's utmost protection." Koharu paused, looking straight at the Hokage's questioning eyes. "You might know him, Hokage. He's the prodigy of the ROOT and the new member of Team 7…_

_…Sai-kun."_

* * *

"WHOA, hold on a sec! I don't understand. Why do I need to go inside that…that thing?"

The Elders did not even budge, seemingly expecting the surprised reaction. "Uzumaki-kun." Koharu started. "Are you aware of what happened to you last night?"

"L-last night?" Naruto's heartbeat quickened. _'Oh crap. Is this about my fight with Sai last night? Did we damage anything? Damn, I'm never going to drink alcohol again. Not in a million years.' _Naruto scratched the back of his head. He chuckled nervously. "Well uhh, you know me and Sai were just fooling around. I apologize if we had damaged anything. We'll pay for it, I promise!"

Koharu looked at him intently. "We are not concerned with that, Naruto-kun. What we are referring to," Koharu cleared her throat rather loudly and resumed speaking with a throaty voice, "is the Nine-Tail's manifestation last night."

The air in the room stilled. Naruto was rendered speechless. He felt everyone's attention painfully directed at him again. Somehow he knew this was coming. Of course they would be talking about the demon. Why else would he be here? Why else would there be a cursed seal in front of him? Maybe this was the reason why the old hag can't even look at him. Probably, they're now seeing him as a threat.

"We have witnesses who saw the red chakra emanating from you. Do you remember that, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto nodded slightly, suddenly not finding the strength to speak.

"And do you know what caused the chakra to emerge?" Koharu continued asking.

"…No." Naruto answered in a very subdued voice.

Tsunade frowned. It was obvious that this was taking a toll on the brat. But she couldn't do anything to help. It has already been decided. Unconsciously, she gripped the pen tighter, breaking it in half.

"So you really don't know what instigated this?"

Naruto felt his nails digging into his sweaty palms. It was taking all of his efforts to try to appear and sound calm…and they need to repeat every damn question. "I have… no idea."

One of the male Elders coughed. "Do you know what that means then, Uzumaki-kun?"

Fearing the worst, Naruto looked away. Homura then continued. "You…are losing control. To be precise, the seal is weakening, Naruto-kun. The _Kyuubi_…."

"Wait." Naruto abruptly interjected, surprising everyone. "If this is about the damn fox, then why are," Naruto swallowed hard, "…Sasuke and Sai here? They don't need to know this." He finished weakly, not bothering to look at his two teammates. He knew he couldn't face them. It seemed like all his courage and pride just faded away.

Koharu spoke again. "I'm afraid they do, Naruto-kun."

"Why?" Naruto asked. "They don't need to be involved in this!"

The Elders exchanged apprehensive glances, none of them wanting to answer the direct question. They all knew that answering that one simple question would give everything away—threatening the success of the mission. And if the mission fails because of this simple confession, it could mean death for all of them.

Seeing that there is no other way out, the Hokage finally began to speak. "Naruto." Her voice has its usual commanding tone, but her eyes seemed a bit tired and…remorseful. "I'm sorry but you have to understand that we cannot tell you everything. Not yet… Right now, everyone's safety depends on the strength of the seal, that's why we need to confirm its true condition first. We need to find out if it's still strong enough to restrain the _Kyuubi._" Tsunade pointed to the image. "The enlarged seal in front of you will help us gauge the extent of the deterioration of your own seal. It is crucial that we find out the causes behind its weakening so that we can do something about it….and save _Konoha_."

Naruto's ears perked up. _Save Konoha? _"So this is what it's all about. You know, you should've said so earlier." The blond sighed. "I understand now, Baa-chan. I won't have any questions anymore. Do what you need to do. But just…promise me one thing."

With unexpected resolve, Naruto looked back at the Elders again, one by one. "If anything happens, if that goddamn fox does anything—anything at all—I want you to stop it no matter what."

Tsunade let out a sigh of relief. _'You always think of others first, huh Naruto? That's too typical of you.'_

"Deal." Tsunade smiled for reassurance. "Now go inside the damn circle, you brat."

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto laced his fingers behind his head, trying to hide the anxiety boring in his gut. Once he stepped inside, the circle lit up again. His vision began to blur as he felt his consciousness slowly ebbing away.

* * *

"Uchiha-kun." Homura motioned to the stoic raven. "You know what to do."

The raven did not even bother to glance towards the voice or nod for acknowledgment. While activating his _sharingan_, he began walking to where Naruto stood. He knew that the circular image was just a _genjutsu_, with the aim of immobilizing the host while controlling the seal. This may be the reason why this courtroom is quite big—to contain the _bijuu_ if ever something fails. He smirked. As if they could contain such a…monster.

He stopped when a shadow appeared in front of him. It was his replacement.

"I hope you know, Uchiha-kun." Danzo spoke in a guttural voice behind him. "We don't take second chances. Sai will make sure of that."

"Hn. Whatever." He continued walking, apathetic to the others' heated stares.

Just as he's about to pass his replacement, he heard him whisper. "You don't deserve this treatment, Uchiha…for everything that you did." Sai looked at Sasuke directly, a glint of malice sparkling in his pure obsidian eyes. "Unfortunately, I will not wait for you to make a mistake." He then smiled. It was obviously fake. "I will not hesitate to kill you once I have the chance."

The _sharingan_ flared, spinning. "Why don't you try, substitute?"

"Oh I will." Sai let his mock smile fell, replacing it with his usual cold, deathly façade. "You better watch your back."

* * *

"What…happened here?"

Naruto almost did not recognize where he is. The cursed chamber was filled with nothing but the deep crimson-colored chakra. He saw red everywhere he looked. Even the pavement where he stood was tinted with the hazy violent color.

And the heat was unbearable. It was like he was being torched alive all over again. He felt this too at the bar, but being inside the chamber felt twice more painful.

As the overpowering chakra continued to fill the cursed chamber, he struggled to breathe. He was slowly suffocating. "Oi…" Naruto managed to say in between labored breaths, "… if I die here, you'll die too, you know."

"_**I know…" **_The Kyuubi growled. _**"I just want you to feel every bit of my pain."**_

"Oh I love you too, you damn fox." Naruto remarked sarcastically.

"_**Let me out, Kit."**_

"…No."

"_**You will die if you keep this up…"**_

Naruto scoffed. "Well, give it your best shot then...'cause you will never get out of here. You'll die with me."

The Kyuubi growled. _**"Impudent human."**_

"Heh, stubborn fox."

Naruto started to pant. He was seriously lacking oxygen. He looked around, trying to find somewhere else to go. He obviously isn't welcome here anymore. He took one deep breath and started to walk away—but stopped when his vision began to spin. He felt his knees slightly buckle. Feeling dizzy, he squeezed his eyes shut. After a few agonizing seconds, his knees finally gave up and collapsed to the floors.

"Ugh."

Supporting his body using both of his hands, he struggled to stay awake. If he fell asleep in his own subconscious, the _Kyuubi_ might take over. And he isn't going to allow that. He clenched his fists, letting his nails dig painfully deeper into the flesh. He needed pain because it distracts him. It kept him awake, and that's good. _'Just a little bit longer…'_

"What are you doing?"

Naruto froze. _'That voice?' _He looked up and felt his heart stop as he recognized the man in front of him. "Sa—Sasuke…"

The Uchiha stared down at him for a second, and then turned around, facing the demon.

"_**We meet again, Uchiha..." **_The demon spoke slowly. _**"Have you come to kill me now?"**_

"…."

The Kyuubi sneered, letting his fangs show proudly. _**"…Or have you come for the Kit?"**_

"None of your business, demon." The raven deadpanned, staring straight at the _Kyuubi_'s malicious eyes. For a moment, Naruto wondered what the other was doing, and then he felt the temperature slowly declining. He looked around and noticed the chakra gradually dissipating as well. Stunned, he looked back at the _Kyuubi_ and saw, for the first time, its confounded mien. The _Kyuubi _looked so…dazed, as if it's sleeping. So calm. Realization dawned on him. The Uchiha was here because of this.

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and tried to stand up. "Whoa... All my life, I've never seen the _Kyuubi _looked so…peaceful." He then walked towards his teammate. "Thank you, _teme. _Heh, I knew you'd come for me._"_

"I didn't come here for you."

"Yeah I know but still…thanks." Naruto smiled at his teammate. "If you hadn't come, I'm a dead meat by now."

The raven stared at him. "I couldn't care less even if you died."

Naruto's smile almost fell, but he forced it to remain. "Sure you do." Feeling that he couldn't retain the smile any longer, he then looked away and tried to change the subject. "So uh, this is the reason why you're here. The big secret, huh? Jeez. They could've just told me."

"…."

Still avoiding the other's gaze, Naruto continued. "The _Kyuubi_ will know eventually. It's basically no use hiding anything from me."

The raven still did not respond. Naruto sighed. _'Why do I even bother?' _The blond looked back at Sasuke again but was met by the latter's retreating back.

"My work here is done." Sasuke stated. "The genjutsu will wear off in a few minutes. Do not," Sasuke stared back at him, "wake the demon before that or—"

"Or what?" Naruto asked bitterly. "I'll die? I thought you couldn't care less about that."

"Just…don't." Came the curt reply. Naruto noted the barely controlled anger mixed in that statement. He knew he shouldn't pry more, but to hell with it. This may be the only chance he'll get to talk to the bastard. If there's still that chance to change him, no matter how slim…he'll grab it, no matter what. He'd risk everything he has to save his best friend. His…

"And why would I, Sasuke?" Naruto shouted. "Nothing matters to you anymore, right, so why the hell should I?" The demon fox slightly stirred.

Naruto felt a gust of wind before he felt his body being pushed and slammed to the wall. "What the fuck is your problem, Naruto?"

"You… you're my problem, _teme_!" Naruto felt the grip on his throat tightened. "You have to stop doing this. Stop… running away. You're always running away." Naruto gasped as he felt his trachea being crushed. "Stop pre…tending that you don't… fucking care."

"Pretending? I left you for dead and you still think I'm pretending?"

Naruto only looked at his teammate, almost having no capacity to utter anything. He could barely breathe as the other's hand clung on to his neck mercilessly.

"…P-Please…Sasuke."

Sasuke sneered, with spite glinting in his eyes. "What? Are you begging for your life, now?"

"…No. I…I'm begging for…yours." The other froze. "Stop..ruining your life, _teme. _Please…just...stop..."

Naruto felt the hold on his neck loosened a bit, as the raven stared at him. "Why…why do you go this far?"

"Because I…" Naruto looked away and shut his eyes as tightly as he could. "…I..."

_'No...don't say it...'_

_**'Don't **say it.'  
_

**"WHY?"** The Uchiha shouted, slamming him again to the wall.

Naruto winced at that. He bit his hip hard, trying to stop himself from answering. Nonetheless, the words came out even before he could stop himself.

"...Because I love you, damn it."

_'…I have always loved you.'_

Silence.

Naruto hoped, prayed so hard that the other did not hear it.

He never knew that silence could be this deafening. Only the dripping of water in the background could be heard as both remained immobile and silent.

For a full minute (which felt like forever), the silence plagued the room like a pitiful ghost, rendering everything insignificant. With the grip loosened, Naruto removed himself from the other's grasp and began to walk away. He stopped when he felt the other's hand weighed on his shoulder. "So...that's it. All this time..."

"You've...loved me, huh?" The raven leaned in closer to his ear, his lips curving upwards and grazing the tan skin. Naruto's breath hitched. "Why don't you prove it then, Naruto?"

"Huh? What are you-?"

"...Suck me."


	8. Hurting

**Chapter 8: Hurting**

"_When did you lose your humanity?"_

* * *

"…What?" Naruto asked, trying to process what has just been said.

Slowly, the raven turned to face the blond directly. Naruto just looked back at him, brows furrowed, and utterly confused. "Can you repeat that? I didn't—"

"Of course, you didn't."

Still locking eyes with Naruto, the Uchiha inched closer, lifting both arms and resting his elbows on the other's shoulders. One hand went behind the blonde's head, tugging the knot of the forehead protector, pulling it gently. "…You never really get anything, do you?" With the knot undone, the _hitai-ite_ easily slids off Naruto's face and dropped to the floor with a resounding clank. Naruto just stared back, not knowing what to do. He did not even glance down to see the discarded headband. The moment the Uchiha closed the gap between them, everything went blank in his head.

_Totally blank._

'_Damn.'_

This was the closest they have ever been, with the Uchiha initiating the first contact—and obviously, Naruto doesn't have a goddamn clue on how to react to this. Should he even respond at all? What the hell is he supposed to do in situations like this? What? All his musings were cut short when the raven leaned in even closer, with mere inches away from his face.

"S-Sasuke?"

"Since you didn't get it, I will tell you exactly what I mean." He felt Sasuke's warm breaths ghost over his cheeks. If he moved a little closer, he was sure that their skins would touch. Naruto felt his face heat up at the thought, forcing himself to think of other things. Apparently, his own thoughts weren't helping either. _'Calm down. Just…' _Naruto swallowed hard, '…_fucking calm down.'_

"I want you," Sasuke continued in a very low, smooth voice. He slightly stroked the back of Naruto's head, where the _hitai-ite_ was previously tied. "…To get down on your knees." The raven then grabbed a fistful of hair, forcefully yanking it backward—earning a surprised cry from the latter. "…And pleasure me using your mouth."

"Suck me hard, Naruto." The Uchiha sneered. "…And_ beg_ for me to love you back."

_Ba-thump._

'_Eh…?'_

_Ba-thump._

'_What the hell does he mean by…?'_

It took Naruto a few more seconds before he finally understood what his rival implied. As soon as he did, he felt a sickening bile rise in his throat as his face heat up once again. "You…"

Utterly humiliated, he shoved the other away as hard as he could and—without waiting for any reaction—punched his rival hard, directly at the face. He felt warm liquid drip down from his knuckles as he withdrew his fist, but he didn't care as he stormed forward again to deliver another blow. This time, the raven anticipated it and caught the blonde's wrist, gripping it firmly. This didn't stop the blonde as he raised his leg up and kneed him harshly in the gut, making the other bend over slightly. Seeing an opening, Naruto kicked him at the side of his face, sending the raven flying a few meters away.

"You **sick** bastard!" Naruto shouted as the other landed gracefully on his feet. As if nothing happened, the raven stood up and languidly brought his thumb to his lips, wiping away the blood. He looked back at Naruto, a spiteful grin plastered on his face. "Why dead last? I thought you love me."

"Fuck you, asshole."

With gritted teeth, Naruto forced his body to stop shaking. He was furious. He was completely humiliated. His vision became hazy as hot, anguished tears streamed down his face. He looked away and lifted one arm to wipe his eyes. It was futile as the tears kept falling stubbornly, soaking through the fabric of his clothes. He gripped his chest as his breathing started to become rapid and labored from crying so hard. It was like this when Gaara died. Back then, he felt so frustrated and miserable that he even cried in front of Sakura and everyone. Though back then, his whole team was there to comfort him. Now, he's all alone. In front of someone who hates him right to the very core.

In front of someone who thinks nothing of him.

'_It's no use. He'll never…understand.'_

"I…chased after you."

'_I've always…'_

"T_eme_, I wanted to catch up to you." His heart hammered in his chest as he choked out the words. He knew his voice sound broken and desperate, but this time he no longer tried to hide it. Everything needed to be said now. No matter how much it hurt. No matter how pathetic or stupid it seemed…

"You were one of the first people to ever acknowledge me." Very slowly, he looked back at his rival, eyes still wet, lips quivering. "I want to be at your side. Fighting alongside you. Training. Or just," He forced a smile, "fooling around." His lips continued to tremble, but his smile painfully remained. "Those moments…they might not mean anything to you but I treasure those moments, Sasuke."

'_Because they were all that I have.'_

"Because you are important to me."

'_You mean everything to me…'_

"If there's even a slightest chance of saving you, I'll take it. I'll fucking take it."

"Because…" Naruto swallowed hard, clenched his fists, and willed himself to not look away. "You're the most important person to me."

"…Because I love you."

"…."

Silence reigned in the room once again. And this time, after everything that has been said, and feelings that have been expressed, Naruto welcomed it. The silence was comforting. It somehow filled the void that lingered between them. For a small eternity, they just stared at each other, expressions calm, both breathing silently.

A few minutes passed before Naruto felt himself being pulled back into consciousness. As his vision dimmed, the last thing he saw was the unrecognizable expression of his former best friend.

* * *

"Shizune!"

"Hai, Tsunade-_sama_!"

Naruto looked around the room, still in a daze. He saw Shizune approached him, medical kit in hand. Because of the genjutsu, he felt a little disoriented but forced himself to remain standing.

"Naruto-kun, why don't you sit down first?"

"Nah, Shizune-san, I'm fine." He grinned weakly. He then felt a hand on his shoulder, supporting him. "Eh? Sai."

"_Dickless_."

He chuckled at the rude greeting. "You jerk." Honestly, he was getting used to it. "Oh I'm fine by the way, thanks for asking."

"Mm." Sai looked at him, as if sizing him up. The pale boy then smiled. "You better be."

Naruto inwardly cringed. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean…?"

"I'm done." Shizune faced the Hokage. "His blood pressure's a little low, but overall his body is fine. All his organs are functioning normally and his chakra is circulating well. No obstructions."

Tsunade nodded. "I see." She turned to Naruto. "Brat, feeling anything…unusual?"

"Hm. Now that you mentioned it, I am feeling…" The blonde placed one hand on his stomach. The Elders suddenly looked anxious, as well as the Hokage. '_Was it the seal?' _The blonde's stomach growled. Naruto smiled sheepishly as he massaged his rumbling stomach. "…a little hungry, I guess. Do you guys have anything to eat here?"

One vein throbbed at the Hokage's temple. She grabbed one of the remaining pens in her table and threw it harshly at the blonde. "You damn brat! Quit playing around!"

"I'm not!" Naruto retorted. "I _AM_ hungry. Geez old hag, you asked!"

Tsunade sighed, forcing herself to calm down. "Other than your bottomless pit, what else are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling groovy." Naruto casually laced his hands behind his head. "So, can I go now?"

This time, the Hokage turned to the Uchiha. The raven's stance remained the same, still looking at nothing in particular. Though she did not fail to notice the very few, almost unnoticeable times where the Uchiha's eyes would rest on his teammate. Those times were brief, but they were definitely there.

"Fine, gaki. You can go now."

Without looking at anyone, nor saying anything, Naruto nodded, turned around and left. Sai was about to follow when the Hokage motioned to him. "Please wait, Sai-_kun_. We need to discuss a few more things."

* * *

Once Naruto was escorted outside, he ran. He did not bother to look if the ANBUs were following. He just…ran.

Ran like hell.

Away from the Elders.

Away from Konoha.

Away from _him._

He ran for hours until his legs finally gave in and collapsed beneath him. He stumbled face-first on the rocky ground, and felt stones roughly grazed his exposed face. But he didn't care and merely closed his eyes as he lay there for a while.

Seconds passed. Minutes. Hours. He didn't know how long he'd been there. It seemed like forever.

After a while, he decided that it's time to go. Slowly, he stood up and brushed the dirt from his clothes. He looked around, surveying his surroundings to know where he is. As soon as he realized, he felt his chest immediately tightened.

_The infamous Valley of the End. _If he walked a few more kilometers, he'd reach the falls where he and Sasuke had fought.

Naruto smiled bitterly. Even in his most oblivious state, his feet led him here.

How…_pathetic._

He really is a complete idiot. He still couldn't let go after all.

He bit his lip and looked up. It was barely afternoon but the sky was already dark. As he stared at the skies, he felt tears creeping out of his eyes. Promising that this would be the last time he'd shed tears for the bastard, he finally allowed himself to cry.

_["...And beg for me to love you back."]_

As if taking pity, the skies thundered and poured water on the cracked, miserable earth.

And for the first time in six months, it finally rained in _Konoha_.

* * *

"Where have you been?"

Naruto looked up from the stairways leading to his apartment. He saw Sai standing in front of his door. "Sai, what are you doing here?"

With a stern look, the pale boy advanced towards his teammate. "Answer my question first. I've been looking all over for you."

"Uh…training grounds." Naruto replied, smiling nervously. He looked away and made a show of searching for his keys.

"Don't lie to me, _dickless_. I've been to all training grounds. You weren't in any of them."

Naruto sighed. It's no use trying to lie to him. He's a ROOT member for heaven's sake. They were trained to be able to see through everything. "I'm sorry, Sai." Finally taking hold of his keys, he opened the door. "Why don't you come in? I'll explain everything after I, uh, took a bath. Because in case you haven't noticed, I'm pretty much soaked." Naruto hugged himself. "I'm freezing, man."

Sai remained in his spot, a hint of surprise marring his indifferent face. "You're letting me in?"

"Huh? Is that a question?" Seeing that his awkward teammate was indeed serious, the blond then took the initiative to push the other in. "Yeah yeah. Just go in. Make yourself at home."

Sai entered, a bit hesitantly. He watched as Naruto stumbled through his own things and attempted to tidy the floors, throwing everything, the clothes and the empty bowls to the same corner. He then moved on to clear the couch so the other could sit. "Just sit here. If you're hungry, there's still food in the fridge. Just heat 'em up in the oven." After that, Naruto disappeared into his room to get some clothes.

A few seconds passed before Sai heard the sound of running water. He then stood up to look around. Along with other…unrecognizable stuff, weapons littered the floor. _'That idiot. He could accidentally injure himself with these.'_ Sai picked them up and placed them neatly in one place. As he continued to roam the place, he tried to gather some things as well. He really doesn't know why he's doing it, but he continued anyway. For some reason, he doesn't mind it.

He kind of liked it apparently.

After tidying the living room, he moved on to the adjacent room which was the kitchen. Unlike the previous room, the kitchen somehow looked cleaner, which must have probably meant that Naruto preferred eating outside more.

He then proceeded to the blond's room. It was…colorful and nearly as chaotic as the living room. He sighed. That was to be expected.

His gaze fell on the two picture frames on the blonde's desk. Both were pictures of Team 7, an old and a more recent one. He looked at the older photo, and saw the hostile expressions of both Naruto and the _Uchiha_. Albeit their surly moods, they were looking rather intensely at each other. His jaw began to clench. He reached out for the frame and none too gently slammed it to the desk.

He waited for a few more seconds before he returned his attention to the whole room. He vaguely wondered what's taking his teammate so long. He could no longer hear the sounds of running water. It was far too quiet.

And he didn't like it.

Uncomfortable with the uncharacteristic silence, Sai glanced at the hallway and saw, in shock, the floors filling up with water.

_Fear._

_For the first time in his life, he felt it. Complete, unfamiliar fear clawing deep into his gut._

He could hear his heart thundering in his chest as he rushed towards the room, and opened the door. Shoving away the curtains, he saw Naruto entirely submerged in the bathtub, eyes closed, mouth slightly open. Wasting no time, he scooped his teammate up. He tugged down the curtains from the rod and wrapped it tightly around the very pale blond.

He gripped the other's shoulders and gave them a firm shake. "Naruto! NARUTO!"

The blonde didn't move. He wasn't even breathing. Sai placed his fingers on the other's neck and felt a faint pulse. He then repositioned his teammate on the floor. Hands shaking, he tilted the other's head back and lifted his chin.

_["Feelings…_

…_You don't need them. They make you weak. And shinobis are not weak."]_

Seeing that there is no obstruction in the blond's air passageway, Sai took a deep breath and pressed his mouth against the other, giving him several deep breaths to force air into his lungs. He repeated this a few times and paused only to observe his teammate. Still not breathing. "Damn you, Uzumaki." He gritted his teeth and felt his nails dig deeply into his palms. "BREATHE, damn it!"

_[Throw them all away._

…_That is the only way you could be strong. Do you understand, Sai?"_

_"Hai, Danzo-sama."]_

Hands still trembling, he leaned forward again and lifted the other's chin. Just as he was about to press his lips, he sensed a sudden movement from the blonde. He immediately withdrew to observe his teammate again. Nothing. Did he just imagine it? After a few agonizing seconds, a cough finally broke the silence, followed by another and another. Sai just stared wide-eyed as the other continued to cough violently while spitting water.

"Ugh." Very slowly, Naruto opened his eyes.

Wondering why he's on his back facing his bathroom ceiling, Naruto looked around. Aside from the very wet feeling, the familiar smell of soap and the cold, grimy tiles that surround him, he noticed that he was also wrapped in some kind of cloth. "Eh?"

"Na…ruto?"

And then there was Sai, kneeling beside him, a very weird expression marring his usually passive face. He blinked to get the extra water out of his eyes. "Sai?" He tried to get up, but before he could do so, pale, strong hands lifted him and pulled him into a sudden hug. Too stunned to react, Naruto stayed still. He could feel something hammering against his chest. While wondering whose it was, he noticed that the other's shoulders were trembling as well. As the hug tightened, he finally realized that it wasn't his own heart beating that madly.

"Sai?" The blonde brought his hand up and stroked the pale boy's back. "Hey what's wrong?"

"You almost died, _dickless_… That's what's wrong."

"Wha—?" Naruto turned to the full tub, and then realization hit him. "Oh... Uh, I must have fallen asleep. Hehe, I guess I'm just really beat."

"You idiot!" Sai hissed, withdrawing his hold. "Who drowns in their own house?"

'_Heh, apparently me.' _Naruto was almost too tempted to make a joke out of the situation, but seeing the very grave expression of his teammate somehow stopped him. Sighing heavily, he just ruffled the other's hair. "Hey I'm still alive. No need to freak out." He smiled.

The other's tense expression didn't change. For a moment, Naruto just watched his teammate clenched and unclenched his fists. "Sai…?"

"I thought I lost you." The voice was low and almost threatening.

"Hey, I'm really sor—."

"Stop talking, Uzumaki."

Sai raised his fists again. Naruto automatically closed his eyes, preparing himself for the hit. But it never came, as he felt drenched gloves firmly cupped his face and warm, smooth lips crashing into his own.

Hard.

The kiss was as sudden as the first time. Too intense. Too forceful. He could not breathe. Planting his hands on the other's chest, he tried to shove the other away. But his still weak limbs failed him. _Shit. _Pressing his lips together as tight as he could, he gritted his teeth and tried to struggle. It was no use as the other's hold on his face merely tightened.

_'Stop._

_I don't want this!'_

Something wet brushed against his lips, languidly tracing every cracked surface of his mouth. He squeezed his eyes shut, but opened them immediately again when a gloved hand landed on his torso. His breathing quickened. He felt cold fingers wandering around his bare chest, stroking his nipple playfully. He gasped. The other took this as an opportunity and pushed his tongue inside the blonde's mouth. As soon as the hot, moist muscle entered, exploring every area of his mouth, Naruto felt like he's melting away. Barely stifling a moan, he knew his control was wavering.

Bit by bit.

Everything was slowly slipping away. He couldn't react. Couldn't struggle. Couldn't think straight anymore.

Slowly, he closed his eyes again...

...and finally allowed himself to kiss back.

* * *

_"Why are you still afraid of being loved?"_


	9. Craving

**Chapter 9: Craving**

* * *

_[…and finally allowed himself to kiss back.]_

Warm fingertips trailed across his chest, sending pleasurable shivers down his spine. Like the droplets of water trickling down his body, he could feel those pale fingers sliding down soothingly, languidly tracing every inch of his skin, setting it on flames. He's still soaked, still naked, still lying on the cold, grimy tiles of his bathroom floor but everything still felt so hot. Like he's on fire. Igniting every bone, every muscle, every vein. He's sweating. He could feel himself fading away. His mind reeling, drowning in his own confused thoughts and feelings. His senses were hazy. His memories trapped in a chaotic mess. His strident, panicking heartbeat pulsating in his ears, deadening everything else.

And without really knowing why or how, he kissed back.

Naruto pressed his lips harder against the other's—blatantly ignoring the wandering tongue. All he could think of is that kisses only involve interlocking lips. Heated lips crashing against the other. Even with his eyes still closed, he felt the other immediately tensed. He pushed his mouth harder. Straining his neck to press further. To feel more. He knew he wanted more. Craved for more. Every fiber of his being begging for more.

Aching.

'_Please…'_

Screaming for more.

'…_forget…'_

He's no longer struggling.

No longer wanting it to stop.

And as Naruto pressed his lips harder, it happened. Accidentally, his own tongue met the other's.

And God.

Oh God, it felt so good. He stopped. His breath hitched in his throat. He did not dare open his eyes. Though their tongues remained connected, no one dared to move or breathe.

Two seconds.

And then slowly, very slowly, Sai swayed his tongue, gently pushing in further, never letting go of the other. Lost in the unfamiliar feeling but pure bliss of mingling tongues, Naruto let out a trembling gasp. Unconsciously, his hands find their way on the pale teen's shoulders, with one shifting to the nape, pulling the other closer. Closer. _Damn, closer_. Sai followed, closing in—his drenched clothes already kissing Naruto's burning skin. With no space left between them, Sai's tongue continued to prod deeper, dancing in its own rhythm, encouraging the other to follow through—to push back. Patiently waiting…praying for the other to kiss back again.

'_Craving for you.'_

And Naruto did.

An initial, hesitant thrust. The blonde timidly pushed his tongue against the other.

Testing.

Almost wavering.

'_This doesn't feel right._

_Doesn't make sense._

_Never supposed to happen._

_But damn it, it feels so good…'_

One deep, nasal breath and then Naruto pushed further. A firmer, more certain thrust. Suddenly pressing more to the succulent muscle. Sai immediately flinched. His heart froze in his chest, glaringly aware of the tingling sensation creeping out, as the blonde's tongue began to move in sync with his. Hot, moist tongues feeling each other. Tasting more… Lost in each other's distinct flavor.

He silently craved for this but he wasn't really expecting that the blond would respond. Heat began to build up in his stomach, coiling relentlessly, spreading throughout his lower regions, igniting every nerve in its path.

And in that moment, Sai knew he could no longer let go.

Could never let go.

Would never be able to…even if he tried.

'_God, Naruto. You have no idea…'_

Sai traced his tongue over the other's one last time, before slowly pulling back and opening his eyes. A thin string of saliva trailed his lips as he retreated a few inches away.

Naruto's eyes remained closed and his lips are still parted as Sai watched him take in a mixture of deep and shallow breaths. The blonde's face was in a deep shade of red, and his jaw's trembling slightly. His bangs hang limply on his sweaty brows, masking his eyes. The pale teen brought his hand to the other's forehead, brushing the bangs tenderly away from the eyes.

"…Naruto?"

The blonde visibly flinched. It was just a whisper but it seemed so loud in his ears.

Taking one last deep breath, Naruto slowly opened his eyes—glazed blue orbs finally meeting pure black. With everything he could muster, Naruto forced himself to not look away. But the intense gaze is making it utterly difficult to focus. "I, uh…" he started weakly. He swallowed hard, trying to rein in all the confused thoughts and emotions.

"You... why?" was all he managed to say.

"…."

No answer. The pale teen just continued to stare intently at him, as if he's a goddamn puzzle.

Thinking that maybe the other didn't hear him, Naruto repeated the question, a bit louder this time, but still hesitant. "Sai… Why did you…?"

"I don't know."

Naruto froze. "You…

…You don't know?" He asked in a voice higher than before, disbelief and infuriation evident in his face. "What the hell, Sai? Is this your idea of a joke?" With gritted teeth, he tried to shove the other away from him. "Something you read from your books and you just decided to try it out, huh?"

Sai remained quiet, and for some reason, this hurt Naruto more. '_Damn, he's not even denying it.'_ Naruto bit his lip—hard, drawing blood. But the pain in his chest still stung more.

Still no response.

'_Fuck, he really doesn't care anymore.'_

"Get out, Sai."

Sai's eyes widened a bit. "Naruto, I…"

The blonde looked away. "Just..." He sighed heavily. He really doesn't have the strength to deal with this right now.

"Please…just get out."

* * *

(Dream)

Blood seeped through the small opening beneath the wooden doors.

He already knew what's inside the room, but his small, pale fingers still trembled in fear as they latched on to the door handle. Slowly, very slowly he opened the door. He peeked inside and saw two bodies lying face down on top of the other, both covered in blood. He was expecting this, but still heard himself gasp from the cruel sight that greeted him. He knew who they were, but still strained his neck to see their faces.

_For one last time._

He touched their faces. It felt cold against his warm skin. They were long dead. His vision became hazy as he felt tears trickle down his cheeks. Covering his face with his hands, he cried. His whole body shaking in unadulterated grief and dread. Violently trembling. As if to comfort himself, he wrapped his arms around himself. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to remember their last few days together. They were all happy. His parents, his relatives, everyone.

And now they're dead.

_And he would never see them again._

…_._

He felt something hot grazing his cheeks. He opened his eyes and saw something burning in front of him. It was a corpse. He gripped his chest. He knew who this person is. As he watched the flames reduce the body into ashes, a feeling of unfathomable grief and regret filled him.

'_Dear brother.'_

A warm breath on his face, then a playful flick on his forehead. _"Be strong, otuoto…_

…_be strong."_

He could hear the person's last words echoing in his head. Repeatedly, relentlessly.

And he cried again, gripping his chest harder, his one hand balling into a tight fist, his nails gnawing deeper and deeper into his flesh. Teeth grinding. Shoulders trembling.

_[Regret.]_

_[Sadness…] _

How cruel. Everything he has ever loved and cared for mercilessly taken away from him. He was left with nothing but misery and hopelessness. _Pain. Endless amount of pain._ And it's tearing him apart. As if mocking him, he heard someone laugh.

_[…and then back to hatred.]_

Blood streamed down from his eyes; his _Sharingan_ spinning wildly, painting his world in violent shades of red and black. He looked around, searching for the person scorning his misfortune. No one in sight. He started to walk, his grip on his katana tightening every second.

[Laughing]

There's it again, those mocking sounds of laughter. He bit his lip in anger.

He quickened his pace. Judging by the volume, he knew he was getting closer. After a few seconds, he finally stopped. His feet had led him to the academy park. The sounds of laughter came from here. He frowned. Now, doesn't this look nostalgic?

Glancing around, he caught sight of something awfully familiar. Narrowing his eyes, he saw a child with vibrant blonde hair running all over the place, laughing and gesturing wildly at his friends.

He knew this child.

Unconsciously, a single name escaped the Uchiha's lips. _"Usuratonkachi." _Something stirred in his heart but he couldn't describe what it is. He felt his grip on the katana loosened a bit as he observed the younger version of his former teammate. This must be his memory, he thought—which is undeniably, one of the _Sharingan's_ after-effects.*

The child's clothes were quite tattered and filthy, and his small, round face is filled with dirt, but his radiant sapphire eyes shone with life and pure mirth. The child looked so happy. Not a care in the world.

_Not a fucking care in the world._

_["…Because I love you."]_

Sasuke felt bitter all of a sudden.

"Love?" The raven grimaced. "What do you know about love?" He spat out the words as if talking directly to his teammate. "You grew up with no one. You never had anyone. You know nothing about love." He hissed. As if he heard him, the child tripped. It was a bad fall as a splintered rock grazed the child's forehead. For a moment, the Uchiha thought he was going to cry, but the child immediately stood up. He brushed the dirt on his knees and wiped his brows with the hem of his shirt, giggling all the way.

"You were…always happy." The raven slowly uttered. "…have never experienced the pain of losing anyone." The Uchiha's voice almost cracked; his eyes no longer red but still filled with grief and resentment.

"…How can you possibly know about love?"

'_How can you possibly understand my pain?'_

….

As the skies darkened, the children started to vacate the park, accompanied by their parents or guardians. Naruto watched them leave, grinning while waving at them. The raven noted the slight trembling on the child's lips, but the smile remained.

One kid called Naruto's name, saying goodbye. As the blond was about to wave back, the kid's parent rushed towards Naruto, anger written all over his face. Pointing a finger at the blond, he shouted. "You foul demon." Naruto froze, his eyes widening. "Stay away from our children, you hear me?" Too stunned to answer, Naruto just nodded slightly. The adult gave the child one last nasty glare before turning around.

The blond stayed rooted in the spot, not knowing what to do. He just stood there, refusing to move or look at anyone.

As soon as everyone has left, he dropped to his knees and let his shoulders sag. His small body started to shake as violent tears gushed down his whiskered cheeks. He cried and cried, in the solitude of the empty park. One of his hands gripped his chest as he started to wheeze, but he continued crying, wiping the snot and tears with his tattered shirt. "Why?" He whimpered. "I…I didn't do anything."

_["You'd never understand my pain."]_

_["Do the villagers still hate you, Naruto? Are they still disgusted with you?"]_

"Why?"

_["…Monster. You don't deserve anything."]_

"What did I do?" The child wrapped his thin arms around himself. With no one to hold him, this was the only sense of comfort he could ever have.

The raven continued to watch, unaware of how tight he's clenching his fists; a pang of guilt gripping his heart.

And as his vision began to dim, the last thing he saw was the still-shaking figure of the child he once called his best friend.

* * *

"Sasuke."

A familiar voice. The raven opened his eyes.

"Maa, you're finally awake."

He looked up, meeting the steady, perpetually bored gaze of his former mentor. "Hn. Kakashi."

* * *

"Damn, where is he?" Sakura frowned as she leaned back against the railing of the bridge, tapping her foot impatiently. "Always, always late!" Unconsciously, she started massaging her gloved knuckles, her inner self relishing in the fact that today is team sparring day. This means that she could coerce her irresponsible sensei to spar with her, and maybe get a (rare) chance to beat the crap out of the latter. _Yep, sounds like a perfect plan._

"Hey Sakura-chan!"

"Kyaa!" She almost fell when Naruto suddenly appeared in front of her face.

"_Baka!"_ Instinctively, she smacked him immediately on the head. "Don't scare me like that, you idiot."

"_Ittai_…" Naruto started massaging his head, feeling a new bump starting to form. Crap, and the old one just healed recently too. "Ehehe, _gomen_, Sakura-chan."

Sakura brought her fingers to her temples, massaging it slightly. This is going to be an extremely stressful day, and it hasn't even started yet. "What do you want, Naruto?"

"Um, well…" Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Can we be partners today, Sakura-chan? For the sparring, I mean."

Sakura blinked. Now that's rare. Normally, Naruto and Sai would be the ones to pair up during sparring sessions. Naruto would only pair up with her if Kakashi-_sensei _instructed it. Other than that, she couldn't recall a time where the idiot chose her deliberately. "Why?"

"You don't want to Sakura-chan?"

"Eh? No, that's not what I meant." Sakura narrowed her eyes apprehensively. "I mean why choose me?" She glanced at his pale teammate, then back at Naruto. "Wait…did you two fight?"

Naruto visibly tensed.

'_Right on!' _Sakura crossed her arms against her chest. She could tell that this isn't just an ordinary fight. Something's off between these two. She looked at Sai again who is currently staring at the idiot. "Hey, what's going on between you two?"

"Nothing!" Naruto laughed. It was a bit too forced. "Really, it's nothing. Forget I asked, Sakura-chan." The blonde seemed disappointed and a little embarrassed as he slowly walked his way back to his original spot on the bridge.

Too curious to let this one go, Sakura followed him. "Hey Naru—."

But before she could approach her teammate, Sai appeared in front of her. "Let me handle this one, Sakura-san." The pale teen smiled at her, then proceeded to where Naruto is.

Sakura could only watch as Sai grabbed one of Naruto's hands and forcefully dragged the blond to the forest grounds.

She sighed again. This is really going to be a long day.

"Hey let go of me, you bastard!" Naruto tried to pry away the pale hand but the grip on his wrist merely tightened. "Where the hell are you taking me?"

"…."

After a while, Sai finally stopped walking and faced Naruto. His grip on the other's hand relaxed a bit, but he didn't let go. "We need to talk."

"Damn right we do." Naruto stared back, but felt his face immediately heat up at the intensity of the other's gaze. He fought the urge to look away. "Uh…about what exactly?"

"About this." Sai suddenly pulled him closer, wrapping his arms tightly around him. "For what happened yesterday, I am sorry Naruto."

Naruto could not believe his ears. Did the bastard just apologize? "Hey did you just…"

"I want you. I like you a lot." Sai continued. "All of you. I couldn't...stop thinking about you."

Naruto froze. "What...are you...?"

Sai's arms tightened around his back. "I don't want to lose you...

...I will never hurt you. I will always be there to protect you. I will never leave you, Naruto."

Naruto blinked in disbelief, feeling something tug in his chest. These words...no one has ever...told him that.

Growing up alone and loathed by many, he craved for these words; for years, he has yearned for someone to hold him like this and tell him that he's loved and he mattered. It was a dream, a silly, childish dream but he really hoped for this. For so long… he has longed to hear these words.

Naruto swallowed hard, not really knowing what to say. "Sai, I..."

"I love you, Naruto."

Naruto gasped—but was unable to respond when he suddenly felt a group with high amount of chakras approaching them. Kakashi suddenly appeared in front of him, looking a bit perturbed.

"Eh? Kakashi-sensei?" He managed to say as he removed himself from Sai's hold.

-And felt his heart drop to his stomach when he glanced at the person standing next his sensei, glowering at him.

"…Teme."

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading!  
**

*The Sharingan can be utilized to reveal the darkest memories of the person it has been used on. What Sasuke saw in his dream was indeed one of Naruto's memories.


	10. Hunting

**Chapter 10: Hunting**

"Naruto, are you listening?"

The blonde reluctantly shifted his head, evidently too focused on one thing, or rather, one person. Then, finally looking at Kakashi, "Eh… Yeah. An escape mission, huh?" The blonde mumbled the words slowly, as if the words were foreign to him and he could not understand a single thing._ 'What in the world is happening now?'_

"Do you understand now, Naruto?" Kakashi's steady gaze remained, though his tone implied a bit of haste—which is highly unusual for the listless mentor.

Kakashi does not sound like he's panicking but everything in his body language suggests that they shouldn't be here talking. They should be running like hell right now. As if being doused with hot water, Naruto finally understood the severity of situation. His eyes grew wide, and unconsciously took a step forward. "Escape mission? What the hell do you mean by—?" But before Naruto could near his mentor, Sai stepped in front of him, conveniently shielding the blonde's view and interrupting his query.

"So basically, we are going to let the Uchiha escape." Sai asked, though it sounded more like an indictment than a question—every word laced with plain impunity and refusal. There is not a hint of confusion, just an outright rejection of the idea.

"_We_," Kakashi turned his full attention to the ROOT member, "are not simply letting Sasuke escape. We are escaping with him."

"What?" Naruto's loud voice cut the silence of the dead forest like a newly-sharpened kunai. "Why? What happened? What changed? Is he in danger?"

Kakashi sighed heavily. This is going to take longer than he expected. A confused Naruto and an uncooperative Sai are not really the ideal combination, especially in delicate and covert missions such as this. Just as he's about to reply, the copy-nin felt a wave of foreign chakras fast approaching. To alert the others, he slightly moved his head to the right, a gesture of vigilance. The others immediately understood, preparing themselves, though the Uchiha himself remained still—seemingly indifferent to the whole affair.

"We don't have much time. I will explain everything once we reached our destination. For now," Kakashi turned his focus to Naruto, "we need to fend off these pursuers. Their target is Sasuke."

Naruto's expression rapidly changed from downright confusion to incredulity and finally, to dread.

Target. _Sasuke._

_Target…_

_Sasuke._

Why are those two words in the same _fucking_ sentence? Did the Elders change their decision? Has Sasuke been sentenced to death without him knowing? What the hell is going on with the old hag's mind now? Something's not right here, and he could feel it. Breathing deeply, he looked at Sasuke again. His anxious gaze was met by the raven's cold, apathetic eyes. Like everything that's happening is beyond his concern and it would be a waste of time to involve oneself. _'Damn it. It's your freakin' life's on the line. Show some concern, you bastard.'_

Naruto tore his eyes away, struggling to reign in the rising anger and other unpleasant emotions in his system. Questions lingered in the air like a deadweight and every second seemed like a ticking bomb. He ached for answers or anything for enlightenment, but he knew that this is not the best time for explanations. They simply could not afford the luxury of wasting time trying to make sense of the vague situation. Naruto then nodded to Kakashi and brought his hands to his chest. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." Two clones appeared at once.

"I will keep them away." The real Naruto said. "My clones would follow you for the rendezvous point."

Kakashi eyed him for a moment before responding. "The hunter-nins are most likely of jounin-level, Naruto. Be careful."

"I'll be fine, sensei. Just… well you know." Kakashi nodded, absolutely certain of what Naruto meant. The blond took one last look at Sasuke, muttering "_Bastard_", before heading off to the opposite direction.

"Idiot." Sai said as he positioned himself to follow his teammate. He then smiled at Kakashi. "_Gomen ne sensei_, but the Uchiha is not my responsibility." And he left.

* * *

Sai watched his teammate's stationary figure from a distance. He could feel faint waves of chakra being channeled to and from the blonde. _'He's going to fight in sage mode.'_ Sai thought, oblivious of the frown marring his own face. _'He's taking this way too seriously.' _Sai stepped down from the branch and slowly made his way towards Naruto, careful not to break the other's concentration. Looking at Naruto's unmoving and peaceful facade tugged something in his chest he could not quite explain. It was an unfamiliar feeling, something that he must have felt years ago but could have forgotten like the million memories he left to rot in his brain.

Memories of his childhood.

Of his feelings for art…

And most especially, of his "brother".

Aside from his upbringing in ROOT, there's simply nothing else left in his world. He forgot how happiness should feel, or how sadness should sting, or how to lose oneself in anger. Feelings are trivial and only skills can define one's worth. Like a bare canvass, his was an empty existence. He learned to feel nothing. He craved for nothing and needed no one.

Until now.

_Until now._

Sai stepped closer to Naruto, only a few feet separating them now. He could feel other chakras dangerously nearing their location, but he didn't care, focusing all his attention on his teammate. The only person he ever…

A kunai flew past his cheek, hitting something behind him. "What's wrong with you, Sai?" Naruto asked, his eyes golden and horizontally-slit. "You're spacing out."

'_That was fast. I didn't even see him move.'_ Sai thought. Like a habit, he closed his eyes and smiled. "Just making sure you have not fallen asleep, _dickless_."

"Like hell I will, you bastard." Naruto playfully retorted, then diverted his attention to the discarded _kawarimi_ behind his teammate. "They're here. I can sense them. Two on the left… One north… And two behind me." The blonde turned his gaze back to his teammate. "You ready?"

The pale boy smiled and nodded, not needing words to respond.

And they attacked.

* * *

Blame it on his intuitiveness but Kakashi was painfully aware of the uncomfortable, deathly vibes swimming in the air as they made their way towards the edge of the west forest grounds, their first checkpoint. He glanced back at his ward. Sasuke is positioned at the center, with two of Naruto's clones at the end of the formation. Right now, suffice to say, Sakura's presence would be greatly appreciated—just to lessen the palpable uneasiness that lingered among them. Her medic skills, in this precarious mission, would be extremely helpful as well.

Unfortunately, she can't be here. Being the Hokage's direct apprentice, Sakura's presence in this mission can be detrimental to the _Konoha's_ fragile reputation among the nations.

Kakashi could still remember the pained look of the Hokage as she explained the mission to him. Apparently, the _Kages_ of the five great nations did want the Uchiha to be executed. When they learned that the Uchiha was finally apprehended, they took it as an insult that the Konoha has not yet made any attempt on punishing the _Sharingan-wielder_ who assaulted them and killed their subordinates during the leaders' assembly. They were not joking when they declared that they want the Uchiha's head delivered to them as a sort of conciliatory gift.

An appeasement gift.

But it's not just that, Tsunade knew.

It was a head in exchange for their losses. In exchange for their continued alliance with Konoha.

_A head in exchange for their trust._

It is that simple. But damn it, what they are asking for is downright impossible.

The Hokage, along with the Council, just could not possibly take the easier route of executing the rogue nin. Ironically, albeit everything that happened, albeit everything that the Uchiha has done and swore to do, they still need him. For Naruto's sake. _For Konoha's sake._ Until they find other effective means of restraining the demon, they still need the Uchiha's abilities to hold back the Kyuubi. Relocation of the host is not an option as it would compromise the safety and the main defense of their village. Hence, this is what makes everything not that "simple" anymore.

Tsunade knew that they need to make a decision now—a choice to satisfy both of the _Kages'_ and _Konoha's_ needs. The Hokage brought the cup to her lips, downing all its content in one gulp, and looked directly at Kakashi, eyes hazy, face contorted in plain fatigue and worry. A covert A-rank mission for all the members of Team 7. _Their team_. Kakashi almost smiled, if it were not for the gravity of the situation.

Since they could not dispose of the Uchiha _**and**_ they are not allowed to "not do anything" under the scrutiny of the other nations, they only way to get out of this one is through deceit. Plain old deceit.

They will make it look like that the Council has ordered the execution of the Uchiha. And being a steadfast team, Team 7 will play as the culprits. They will not only let the Uchiha escape, _they will escape with him_. There are two reasons for this. The first is that the Kyuubi host should always be physically near the Sharingan-wielder. This is to ensure that the Kyuubi will be monitored and "controlled" at all times. The second reason is that they need someone else to take the blame. It would not be the Council's fault. Nor the Hokage's.

To not compromise _Konoha_, it would be the liability of Team 7 alone.

Clever.

But is it possible?

Kakashi turned his attention back to his surroundings, surveying the lush forestry as he passed. The copy-nin was well aware of the risks and all the difficulties that are involved in the mission. However he is not sure if the others could handle it, especially Sasuke whose chakra is currently restrained and whose loyalty is questionable. The copy-nin inwardly debated if he should take off the chakra restraints so that Sasuke can defend himself, but…

A sudden flicker of foreign chakra made him stop. Sensing that something is wrong, Kakashi removed the hitai-ite from his eye, letting his Sharingan survey the surroundings itself.

And he saw them. Four hunter-nins just a few meters in front of him and at least two on each side of their formation.

"Naruto," Kakashi called and gestured to Sasuke, a mute way of saying protect the other. The raven caught this and glared at the copy-nin, and then at the approaching blonde. He does not need Naruto or anyone, he can take care of himself. Apparently, Naruto's clones did not get the hint and inched closer to Sasuke.

"This is treason, Hatake Kakashi. Surrender now or we will take you down." One by one, the hunter-nins made themselves visible, encircling their team.

"No, I'm afraid that's not possible." Kakashi replied in monotone, but is clearly poised to defend.

"Then you leave us no choice." One of the nins raised his hand, signaling to others to take their positions.

Kakashi only hoped that this would not go as bad as he expected it to be.

* * *

Naruto's rasengan hit one of their attackers directly at the stomach but instead of a body being pushed backward, it was replaced by a familiar log. Naruto's jaw clenched. '_Kawarimi again? What's going on here?' _The blonde looked around and saw Sai standing with a couple of crushed logs at his feet, donning the same mild confusion on his face. Their gazes met. But before Naruto could speak, he felt a painful stabbing feeling at his side. He gripped his side, knowing at once that one of his clones had just been taken out.

"No way. That means…"

Sai looked at him thoughtfully. "Naruto."

"We need to go back, Sai." And without looking back at the pale boy, Naruto ran as fast as he can back to where his clones were.

Sasuke.

_Sasuke._

* * *

Naruto stared…and stared at the door, his heart racing madly in his chest. Slowly, he raised a sweaty palm to grip the handle but made no effort on opening it. He continued to stare at the door, willing it to open by itself. It didn't. _Damn door_.

In the middle of berating himself, Naruto felt a gentle touch on his shoulder. "Sensei?"

"He's fine, Naruto. Just a few… minor scratches. You don't need to worry." Kakashi said as he took Naruto's other hand and placed some paper seals. "But I still think you might need these. Ja!" And then the copy-nin left, all the while focused on his orange book. Naruto watched as the other slightly staggered towards the other room, the new bandages in his left leg being soiled by dried blood. Naruto frowned at the sight, knowing that part of that was his fault. There was no reason for him to go—to leave his team, but he did. He left because he could not find the courage to face the Uchiha. Fending off the ones following them was just an excuse. If it were not for Yamato-sensei aiding them, the fight with the hunter-nins could have gotten worse.

It could have gotten _really worse_.

Naruto's grip on the handle tightened, and slowly, very slowly he opened it. He found Sasuke sitting on the ledge of the window, his other feet dangling outside, his gaze somewhere far away. _Always far away._

Sasuke's sleeveless dark gray shirt was tattered in some places and Naruto could see some traces of blood on it. His right arm was bandaged haphazardly, and new blood is starting to creep out.

"Leave."

A familiar cold voice. A familiar tone of resentment.

Naruto expected that. "Whatever bastard." Swallowing deeply, Naruto made his way towards his former teammate. He sat himself on the remaining space on the ledge and before the other could protest, Naruto attached some paper seals on the raven's chest—rendering him completely immobile. Naruto could not help but smile when the other glared at him more furiously

"What do you think you're doing?"

"What does it look like, _teme_?"

Without looking at the Uchiha, Naruto grabbed the latter's wounded arm and silently removed the soiled, bloody gauze. When the bandages were completely stripped off, his smile fell when he saw the deep gash from the elbow extending all the way to the raven's shoulder. "Minor scratches, huh?" He mumbled, then took some new bandages and a bottle of ointment from his pouch and placed them at their center.

"Are you okay, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, with his eyes still fixed on the other's arm, applying the ointment on the wounded flesh.

"…."

"_Teme_, it wouldn't hurt to answer you know." Naruto finally looked up. "We're all worried about you, you jerk. Quit being such as ass."

Still no response. Naruto gritted his teeth and willed himself to focus on treating the wound instead. He isn't really good at this type of things, and has no idea how much ointment is one supposed to use on an open wound. He does not have any cotton, so he settled on using his fingers to spread the salve generously on the flesh. If Sakura was here, she might have berated the blond for being unsanitary, but hell, who cares? As if the proud Uchiha will die of germs, right?

Right.

After fully applying the ointment, Naruto removed the safety pin of the new bandages. As slowly and meticulously as he could, he wrapped it around the raven's wounded arm.

_The raven's left arm_.

It was ironic really, how he is now treating the hand that almost killed him thrice. How many times has this hand tried to take his life? This was the hand that ripped through his chest years ago, the same hand that almost stabbed him, choked him, the hand that electrocuted and almost burned half of him, and the cold, cold hand that refused to help him so many times in the past. Pale, long fingers that only know how to grip other people's neck, or stroke the hilt of a sword before a cruel kill. Pale, long fingers that only know how to punish, to hurt...

Naruto's fingers were trembling.

"You know, they told me about this mission. It's bullshit, really." The blonde started, still focused on perfecting the binding of the wound, making sure that it's tight enough and there are no creases.

_Carefully treating the hand that hurt him the most._ How…

"Stupid." Naruto smiled to himself, a bit too forced. "If you ask me, that's the stupidest plan I've ever heard, but yeah, I'll go with it. It's an A-rank mission and it's too good to pass up. I don't get much of the plan, though." Naruto leaned in closer to reach the raven's shoulder. He could practically feel the raven's eyes boring through his face, but he forced himself to focus. '_Damn it, stop staring will you_.'

One last knot.

"There, done!" Naruto examined his work, inwardly praising himself for such a neat work. It doesn't look messy as he expected it to be. Sakura-chan would be proud.

Smiling at Sasuke, he removed the seals on the latter's chest. "Be thankful, you bast—"

But he didn't get to finish it when Sasuke lifted his uninjured arm and pale, cold fingers tore the wrappings in one firm tug. As if in a daze, Naruto could only watch as the bandages languidly slid off the other's arm, once again revealing the nasty wound.

'_How…_

…_stupid.'_

_How fucking stupid…._

One deep breath and Naruto's clenched fist punched the wood above the raven's head. Splinters fly in the air as Naruto struggled to even his frantic breathing—as he struggled to control the growing impulse to rearrange the Uchiha's face.

_Breathe._

Just…breathe.

"You done?" Sasuke's expression did not change, his tone as cold as ever.

"Asshole." Taking the hint, Naruto glared at the raven one last time before grudgingly picking up his things and left.

* * *

He could hear the relentless downpour of the rain outside—every heavy drop hitting their make-shift temporary quarters with a thud.

Slowly, Sasuke pried open his eyes and was not surprised to be greeted with a blanket of darkness. It was already way past midnight, he could tell. Deciding that he has rested enough, he tried to stand up using both of his elbows—but immediately stopped when he felt a sharp jab of pain shot through his right arm. He gripped his right shoulder, feeling the painful aftershocks of exerting the wound. As he did, he was surprised to feel a thin cloth covering it. He examined his right arm, and true enough, there are new bandages wrapped around it, complete with a seal this time so he wouldn't be able to remove it.

"…Stubborn idiot." He murmured against the darkness.

Supporting himself with one arm, he stood up and went towards the window. He could barely see anything outside and the only sound he could hear is the loud beating of the rain against the ground. He raised his bandaged arm and let the rain pour down on it. If he couldn't take them off himself, then something else can. He was right. The rain easily soaked through the wrappings, slackening the knot bit by bit…

_["…Are you okay, Sasuke?"]_

And then he felt it.

A flicker of a familiar chakra not too far away. Even without his _sharingan_, he can sense it very clearly, which meant that it's definitely potent.

"Madara."

And he took off.

….

It was cold.

The raindrops felt like blunt ice pricking his skin. And he could barely see. He can only rely on the familiar trace of chakra to lead him. He knew he was getting closer as the intensity of the chakra was getting stronger every second.

A few moments passed…

And he finally saw it.

He looked around and all he can see is red. _Red. Red. Red. Red._

Violent red-tinted chakras lighting the forest in a dull hue of blood. He looked up and saw dark crimson bubbles suspended in the air like enormous fireflies. He could still feel the rain soaking through his clothes but instead of the cold prickling rain, he felt warm droplets searing his skin.

Unbearable, suffocating heat….

And he knew… He just knew…

A single name escaped his lips. "Kyuubi."

And before he could stop himself, the raven looked down.

Crouched beneath the massive reservoir of chakra was his ex-teammate. The blonde has his arms wrapped around his stomach, an extremely pained expression marring his face. Some parts of his exposed skin are visibly peeling off, revealing a dark red flesh underneath.

_["The seal is weakening due to the host's constant use of the Kyuubi's chakra. Do you know why, Sasuke?"]_

_["Sakura-chan and I…we did everything we can, sacrificed everything to get you back."]_

_Sacrificed everything…_

…_To get you back._

_["…Because I love you."]_

"You…" Sasuke clenched his fists, unconsciously taking a step forward, "...fucking idiot."

"…Enjoying the view, Uchiha?"

From the shadows, Sai stepped forward, his gaze cold and unforgiving.


	11. Bleeding

_Fall down and weep,_

_'Till you crumble and bleed._

_'Till your heart stops, and your bones ache,_

_'Till you cry out that it's too late._

* * *

**Chapter 11: Bleeding**

Naruto couldn't breathe.

_Couldn't think._

_Couldn't feel anything else other than the hazy chakra dancing around, razing his skin, gnawing at his bones, tearing up his flesh…_

It burned and it hurt so bad that he wanted to scream. But he couldn't.

He could only stare at his clawed fingers tearing the ground under his palms, burrowing deeper and deeper into the earth as soft as flesh. His one hand still encircled his stomach, as he struggled to breathe. He gasped, but there was no sound, only the brief rumble of his throat.

His teeth clenched in pain, his eyes firmly shut. He tried again.

Slowly, he lifted his face which was severely damp from all the sweat and…rain.

_It was raining_.

He finally realized it. He could feel his hitai-ite loosening its hold on his forehead. It's going to slid off of his face any second now. His hair's dripping wet, clinging on to his brows. Every bit of his body is now drenched.

But it was still hot. Still unbearably hot. His body felt like it was being torched or being engulfed in flames. The burning feeling was awfully familiar.

"_**Let me out."**_

He cursed.

Teeth tightly clenched, he tried to breathe again, counting the seconds as it ticked painfully slow. His grip on his stomach tightened, his clawed fingers ripping through his side, unsuspectingly drawing blood. He's tearing up his own flesh. He's bleeding, but he felt nothing. Couldn't feel anything else other than the burning, excruciating feeling wrecking his whole body. His own chakra burning and peeling off his own skin.

Very slowly, he lifted his other hand from the dirt and hugged himself again. Tighter. _Tighter_. He's shaking, slightly bleeding on his sides, still struggling to breathe.

What he would give to feel numb… to just forget… to just let go.

"…_to?"_

Warm droplets of rain continued to pound on his head, as if distracting him. He thought he heard someone call his name. He smiled despite himself. Now, he's _fucking_ hallucinating.

"Naruto?"

He froze. He opened his eyes and looked up.

"…Sai." Naruto spoke. But it wasn't his voice. It sounded lower and more menacing than his own. He immediately felt his stomach lurch and stared in horror as his pale teammate took a few, careful steps toward him.

'_No… stop.'_

"Get away! Don't come near me, Sai." Naruto tried to shout, but his voice remained low, guttural even. Knees trembling and unsteady, he scuttled backward. "Get away from me." Shit, he doesn't recognize his voice. This is bad.

Sai stopped mid step, his face a little shocked. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. With a determined expression, Sai stepped closer again, his one hand raised. "Calm down, Naruto."

Naruto didn't calm down. He can't calm down. He knew that the thin line of sanity he was fortunate to have now is slipping away.

"_**Let me out."**_

Sai seemed unfazed as he continued to inch toward him, his steps careful but confident.

_Stop._

He's getting closer. Naruto clenched his teeth, his fangs now slowly protruding past his lips. He could feel his claws extending, his veins in his hands literally popping out.

_Stop._

"Goddamn it, Sai…" Naruto hissed, glaring at the other—half furious, half pleading for the other to stay back. "I said…get—"

A blur. He felt a firm tug. Then it was all warm.

"Idiot." Naruto heard the other murmur. It was then that he realized that the other has wrapped his arms around him, with the pale boy's face buried deep in his shoulder. For a second, everything was still as Naruto just gaped, too stunned to react, too lost to think…

"_**Let me out."**_

But it didn't last long.

Like a switch, Naruto's body continued to tremble again, struggling to pull free, his mind—screaming and panicking, teetering on the edge of control.

"Calm down." Sai repeated, his voice uncharacteristically low and comforting, his one hand stroking the blond's back. Naruto shut his eyes. Instead of dissipating, he could feel his chakra getting more agitated. He heard himself hissing, struggling to reign in the demon chakra.

_Struggling._

'_Get away…'_

He opened his mouth, his fangs now very prominent. His clawed hands started to shake, dangerously looming over Sai's back—itching for something to tear apart, to rip to shreds. And Sai's body's just conveniently up for the kill. He could smell the other's scent, and Naruto felt strangely high, his lips smirking but not to his own amusement. It was the demon's.

He was losing it.

"_**LET ME OUT."**_

'_No. Sai, get away. Get the fuck away…'_

With all his might, he clenched his own fists as tight as he could. He felt the sting of his claws digging deeper into his flesh. Blood began to leak from his hands. But he no longer felt any pain… as his consciousness finally gave in.

And Naruto screamed.

* * *

Sasuke couldn't breathe.

Couldn't think. Couldn't do anything else other than stare at the trembling, chakra-shrouded figure of his former teammate.

It was still raining hard but he could no longer feel it. Could no longer hear it. His own senses choosing to ignore everything else.

_Everything else._

Except for him.

Blood dripped from his now frayed bandages. Red, warm fluid mixing with the cold, cold rain as it flowed to the muddy ground. His raven locks, now damp, cling on to his face, shielding his eyes. He heard his teammate's scream, but it sounded so distant from his ears. With dreary eyes, he continued to watch his teammate. As if he expected this. As if he doesn't care. His expression remained detached, his stance composed, his heartbeats calm… Everything about him seemed so calm.

_But he wasn't breathing._

He wasn't. His breath hitched deep in his throat, his mind blank, a pool of something familiar swirling madly in his gut. Something… something was breaking.

_No._

His jaw clenched. He refused to name it.

_This doesn't matter anymore._

The Uchiha took a step back…

…and turned away.

"Do you want me to take off your restraints, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked, standing a few feet away. His voice was calm and low. Almost a whisper. But the copy-nin knew that the raven heard him clearly.

'_Do you want to help him?'_

The raven stopped, though he didn't seem surprise at the sudden appearance of his ex- mentor. He looked at Kakashi briefly in the eye, then started walking away again.

"Sasuke." Kakashi blocked the raven's path. "Don't walk away from this."

"Not my problem." Sasuke met the jounin's gaze again, his eyes narrowing. "Get out of my way."

Kakashi did not yield. His stance remained, his hardened gaze lingering between Sasuke and Naruto. Then, finally on Sasuke.

"He needs you. You are the only one who can help him."

Sasuke did not answer, did not even bat an eyelid when he pushed the other away with his shoulder and resumed his steps.

After a while, Kakashi spoke again. "Rage and hatred. The more time passes, the more they wound, the worst they become." Kakashi tore his eyes away from Sasuke and focused on the scene in front of him. The demon's tails have visibly formed, with chakra bubbles multiplying and expanding in the air. The hazy red chakra ignited the midnight forest, lighting it in a dark hue of blood. The air felt heavy and suffocating. Strong winds produced by the chakra buffeted the frail branches of the trees, and slashed through the downpour. The copy-nin frowned behind his mask, _this is getting worse._

"…Your clan is _dead_, Sasuke." Kakashi continued and even without seeing it, knew that Sasuke has stopped dead in his tracks.

"You chase vengeance without a doubt on your mind. Never questioning it. You cling on to hate because you feel nothing else. You turn away from everyone because you think you need no one else. Because you think you've already lost everything." Kakashi trailed on. "But you have _not_ lost everything yet. Sasuke, if you walk away from this, you will."

"Shut it." The raven spat, his voice menacingly low and threatening. "What the _fuck_ do you people know? You know nothing."

"I know enough." Kakashi's eyes look tired and grave as he regarded Sasuke again. "I know enough to say that this will only bring you more pain. And that even hatred wouldn't mean anything in the end…"

"…."

"Stop running away… You still have people caring for you. Walk away from this, and you might not have another chance…

…Walk away now, and you will regret it."

Sasuke lifted his bandaged arm and stared at his open palm. He clenched it as tightly as he could, letting his fingers dig into his palm, watching the raindrops as they trickle down his fist.

Kakashi waited for any response but he didn't receive any. He expected that, but still felt disappointed when the other eventually walked away, without saying anything else or bothering to turn back.

_Uchiha Sasuke walked away._

"Sasuke…"

The copy-nin sighed heavily then turned to his side and nodded to Yamato. The latter nodded back and formed hand seals. Massive blocks of wood immediately sprouted from the earth and engulfed Naruto just as Sai retreated. Kakashi knew that this isn't the best way to restrain Naruto but as of the moment, they were out of choices.

_Because he refused to help again._

_Without any hesitation, he walked away._

As they all waited for the growls to die down, Kakashi vaguely wondered when the rain would stop.

* * *

Even when he was younger, Naruto had never imagined that he would one day wake up, extremely soaked, surrounded by mud, and his whole body bathing in the early sunlight at an open fields of god-knows-where. Even in his most mischievous days as an orphan, this takes the cake for being the weirdest, most disturbing way of waking up. And seeing that his orange jumpsuit is tattered on the sides doesn't ease his mind one bit.

He stared at the skies, idly wondering if this is a dream or a_ genjutsu_. The latter seemed to be more plausible as he can't even remember why or how he got there in the first place. His instincts told him that something is awfully wrong in this scenario but his whole body was just too tired and aching all over to pay heed to the niggling worry in his head. He closed his eyes again and enjoyed the comforting warmth of the sun. _'__Kami-sama__, this feels good.'_ He pondered.

After a while, Naruto felt a shadow looming over him. His eyes fluttered open and saw Sai kneeling next to him.

"You're in my sun, Sai. Step aside." Naruto greeted.

"You are awake."

Naruto was about to say something when a loud grumble from his stomach interrupted him. "And hungry too." He smiled sheepishly, and held out his hand. "Come help me up, bastard."

Sai regarded him for a moment before hoisting him up. "Dickless."

Naruto chuckled. "Good morning to you too."

* * *

"Are you sure you're feeling fine, Naruto?"

"Huh?" The blond looked at Kakashi, some strands of newly-cooked noodles hanging from his open mouth. "For the thousandth time, yes sensei, I'm fine, damn it."

Kakashi eyed the blond warily before once again burying his face to his orange book. Naruto looked confused and a little frustrated that everyone's acting pretty weird since he woke up. Sai won't stop staring at him and his lazy mentor kept asking him the same question. Fed up, the blond then put his chopsticks down on the table and turned his body to face his mentor.

"Okay that's it. What's the problem? Tell me, what did I do this time?"

Kakashi ignored him, his face still fixed on the book. Naruto turned to Yamato who in turn looked at Kakashi, as if mentally having a conversation with the other. Finally, the blond glanced at Sai. "What!"

Silence reigned in the room as the pale boy just stared back at Naruto, his face totally devoid of anything. After a while, Sai conceded and gave his signature smile. "Oh nothing, dickless. We are all just concerned about the fact that out of the four of us, you have the smallest penis. And that—"

"SHUT UP!" Naruto stood up, completely forgetting his unfinished meal, his face a deep crimson. "Y-you-! FINE bastards! If you don't want to tell me, then don't! I'll find out myself." Exasperated, he stormed out of the room…

...

… And found himself in front of the Uchiha's room seconds later. His idiotic feet have led him here again.

Naruto sighed, staring at the door with fingers suspended, and centimeters away from the door handle. _Funny, this scene seemed vaguely familiar_. He swallowed hard and gripped the door handle. Slowly he opened the door a little and peeked inside. What greeted him made his heart plunged deep into his stomach.

Empty.

The room's empty.

"_That dipshit."_

And he took off.

Naruto found Sasuke sitting against a small rock, several feet away from what seems to be a cliff, or was that a hole? The raven's head was reclined a bit, staring at the gloomy skies with an uninterested expression.

"Are you _fucking_ insane?" Naruto shouted, his tight fists shaking at his sides. "Do you want to die that badly, you shitty bastard?"

Still with closed eyes, Sasuke tilted his head away from the blond, blatantly ignoring the other.

A blur and Naruto was beside Sasuke instantly, his one hand fisting the other's collar. "Don't ignore me, teme!"

Sasuke finally opened his eyes and looked at Naruto.

"Damn it, Sasuke. We are all trying so hard to protect you! This place is practically crawling with ninjas who want you dead, and you… you…" Naruto almost growled, fumbling with words as he struggled to control his building anger...and panic. "Genius or not, without chakra, you won't last a second out here. Do you _fucking_ understand that? Or was that too complicated for you, you impossible bastard-"

A bandaged hand grasped Naruto's wrist. It wasn't a tight grip but Naruto visibly froze at the sudden contact. For one of the rarest times, Sasuke's expression does not seem hostile or extremely distant. His eyes looked almost peaceful as he stared back at Naruto. Totally unsure of what to do and how to react, Naruto just gaped, his hold on the other's collar relaxing.

"Sasuke…?"

And then a sudden movement broke his thoughts. He was shoved harshly sideways as a number of shuriken flew past his side.

"They're here." Sasuke said to no one in particular. "Don't get in my way." Without glancing back at Naruto, the Uchiha charged.

"Wait! Sasuke!"

…..

_One… Two…_

There were only three of them left. Naruto thought, confident that he can handle the remaining two when Sasuke just pummeled the first, with just _taijutsu_ alone, all his movements perfectly accurate and in sync. Even with the wound on his right arm.

"Freaking showoff." Naruto mumbled, as he formed another _Rasenggan_ with his clone, his gaze hardly ever leaving his ex-teammate. One hunter-nin charged at him directly, his sword aiming directly at him. Naruto staggered back and, wrenching the sword with one arm, connected his rasenggan to the other's gut. The other was immediately thrown back several meters away.

On reflex, Naruto turned around and saw another ninja stalking him. Finding no time to create another rasenggan, he grabbed a kunai and several shurikens from his pouch.

"Heh. Come on, you bastard." He threw the shurikens, aiming only to distract the other so he can attack head-on. But the other just evaded and… vanished.

'_What the hell…?'_

He looked around, senses blazing. He felt a flicker of foreign chakra at his side. Smirking, he feigned to the other side. The hunter nin fell for the trick and attacked. Naruto immediately saw an opening and elbowed the other to the side, forcing the latter to bend. Just as he's about to embed his kunai, a sharp, familiar pain shot through his gut. Naruto hissed and bent over, releasing his hold of the hunter nin.

"Damn fox… not now…" Naruto's knees buckled momentarily before they eventually gave in and connected with the ground with a thud. His arms automatically wrapped around his abdomen, recoiling at the pain slowly building up.

The hunter nin regarded the blond for the briefest moment before he grabbed his own kunai. But before he could even raise it, Sasuke's hand grabbed his neck and snapped it. There was a faint crack before the other fell lifelessly to the ground.

In between labored breaths, Naruto's face slowly darted up, his lips smirking a bit, "Hey thanks."

"I told you to not get in my way."

"Yeah yeah." Naruto tried to stand up, still smiling, albeit the swelling ache in his abdomen.

Halfway, he felt the earth beneath him quaked. He froze and watched as his surroundings blurred and spun. Whoa.

'_Kyuubi…?_

_No, this isn't the Kyuubi… This is…_

_...genjutsu! Oh shit.'_

"Sasuke!"

The raven looked distracted, his glassy eyes fixed on one spot, indicative of the influence of the _genjutsu_. People with low amount of chakra are more vulnerable to this kind of technique. With gritted teeth, Naruto hauled himself up, stumbling a bit as his knees quavered beneath him. He placed his right hand on his knee for support, with his other hand still clutching his stomach.

'_Damn it.'_

He saw the enemy make a beeline for Sasuke even before he distinctly felt the other's presence. The injured hunter nin grabbed Sasuke's forearm, dragging him to the cliff.

"SASUKE!"

Ignoring everything else, Naruto pushed the ground as hard as he could and ran.

With several feet away from the edge of the cliff, Naruto grabbed the hunter nin's clothes and with one strong heave, he yanked the latter away. He watched as the hunter nin staggered a few steps backwards…

…and felt his heart literally stop when he saw what's on the enemy's chest.

Naruto has not even registered the vague smell of fire when the exploding seal detonated directly in front of him, the force pushing both of them way past the edge…

And they were falling…

_They were falling._

* * *

Cold raindrops streamed down his face. Like tears, they trickled down slowly and gently past his cheeks.

Unlike last night, today's downpour is less fierce, less strident, but for some reason, he felt like he's drowning. Like when he submerged his body in water for too long. Or stared at the raining skies for hours…

_It was a bad, bad fall._

His back felt uncomfortable. He could feel something sharp or splintered digging through it. That, or he broke some bones when he fell… when _they_ fell. That his injuries are worse than he initially thought.

The raven opened his eyes and let them adjust to the lighting. He wasn't surprise to find himself staring through a small crevice approximately ten meters above him. Shifting a little to the side, he heard a faint grunt near him.

He looked down… and saw a mop of blond hair resting on his chest. Now he knew why his whole body felt heavy. His idiotic teammate's leaning against him, or to be more precise, lying on him. They were too close. Too damn close that the Uchiha could distinctly feel the thrum of the other's faint breathing. And the raven wasn't liking it one bit.

Sasuke placed his uninjured arm on the other's shoulder, shaking it a little to wake the other up. "Oi Naruto. Get off." The blond did not move nor showed any signs that he heard him. Just as he's about to shove the other off, Naruto stirred.

And coughed.

Sasuke ignored it. "Get off." He repeated.

"I know bastard," Naruto mumbled, his voice a little subdued. "I heard you the first time." He coughed again, and Sasuke felt something wet and warm soaked through his clothes.

"…Just…" Naruto continued. "Just gimme a moment (cough)…to catch my…breath." Naruto's voice was so low that Sasuke had barely heard it.

_That their injuries are worse than he thought._

Before he could even stop himself, Sasuke had both of his hands gripping the blond's shoulder and forcefully lifted the other up.

"Ugh…bastard."

_Don't._

_Don't look._

Naruto's eyes were shut tight, his head leaning to one side, blood dripping from his open mouth.

_Something exploded in front of them… then they fell…_

Naruto's bare torso was filled with blood and some remnants of the explosion as his tattered orange jacket hung loosely to his sides. The blond looked so pale and his chest trembled slightly when he breathes. Sasuke swallowed hard at the sight, his hold on the other's shoulders loosening…

"Bas…tard." The blond mumbled incoherently, his eyes slowly fluttering open. "I said, gimme a sec." He tried to laugh, but it only came out as a raspy cough, sputtering more blood. Sasuke wasn't even aware that he wasn't holding the other anymore and so, when Naruto coughed violently again, he fell face first on the Uchiha's chest.

"…It's cold." Naruto murmured, his body starting to shiver. "...So cold."

_[Before everything is too late, Sasuke…]_

_[Before everything is too late.]_

"Na…ruto." The raven heard himself whisper, his chest constricting painfully. This feeling, he refused to name it. Refused to acknowledge it. But doesn't know why his lips have turned suddenly dry…his hands were trembling… his heart has stopped beating.

And he couldn't breathe.

_He couldn't breathe..._

"...Naruto."

* * *

(TBC)

**A/N: **Thank you so much for reading!


	12. Dying

**Previously:**

The incarceration of Sasuke Uchiha led to the precarious situation of _Konoha _among the nations. To appease the aggrieved _Kages_, the Hokage of _Konoha _(Tsunade) formulated a plot to "terminate" the Uchiha. Since the Uchiha cannot be executed, Tsunade directed a team to create a diversion. In the night of the Uchiha's execution, Team 7 led by Hatake Kakashi assisted in the Sharingan wielder's escape.

On the first night of the escape mission, the Uchiha witnessed the critical deterioration of the cursed seal. He watched as his former teammate struggle to control the growing influence and threat of the _Kyuubi_. Deeply affected but unable to comprehend his conflicted emotions, Sasuke was confronted by Kakashi. Their talk did not end well as Sasuke eventually decided to walk away, refusing to help his ex-teammate.

The next day, Sasuke left their headquarters without permission. Extremely worried, Naruto searched for him. Their heated reunion was cut short when they were attacked by hunter nins. Because of the currently restrained state of the Uchiha, he was easily affected by the enemy's genjutsu. Distracted, the raven was forcefully dragged towards the edge of a cliff. Though severely weakened by the seal's relapse, Naruto did not waste any time and raced towards his rival. In the midst of confusion, Naruto failed to notice the explosion seal attached to the enemy's chest. Thus, when he pulled the enemy away and shielded the Uchiha, the seal exploded openly at him—the impact causing both he and the Uchiha to fall down the cliff.

With a severely injured and dying Naruto, Sasuke begins to doubt… and feel…

[End of summary]

**A/N**: I have reread Chapter 11, and indeed, some parts are difficult to grasp. I am terribly sorry for that. I hope this brief summary helps.

* * *

"_I am swimming in the smoke_

_Of bridges I have burned."_

**Chapter 12: Dying**

_Blood dripping from a slightly open mouth,_

_Faint heartbeats slowing down…_

A bandaged hand loomed over a shivering figure. Pale, hesitant fingers frozen in the air. Wavering… Cold fingertips unconsciously trembling. Silence lingered in the air like a pitiful ghost. Even the sounds of the intensifying downpour remained unheard. For some reason, Sasuke could no longer feel the stabbing pain on his back, or the deep lesion on his arm. He could no longer feel anything. Or think of anything. In his mind, everything has shut down. His own senses choosing to ignore everything else.

Everything.

Except for him.

Except for the shivering figure lying on his chest. Blond spikes flattened by the rain now covered the pale face of his ex-teammate_._ Both of the blond's hands were spread awkwardly on his sides. The raven could feel a series of faint heartbeats thrumming against his chest. Thick, red blood from the deep, gaping wounds of the other continued to seep through his own dark shirt.

Blood that is not his.

_Blood… so much blood._

_["Are you okay, Sasuke"?]_

Droplets of rain trickled down the tattered bandages, effectively loosening the knot that tied them together. Slowly, his eyes drifted to the torn bandages…

Layer upon layer, it shed.

And he remembered.

Flashes of tanned, unsteady fingers carefully binding his wounded arm. Of calloused fingers spreading salve on his wound. Treating him.

"_No…"_

Of warm hands wrapped around his shoulders. Welcoming him. Holding on to him, like he'd disappear. A warm embrace he never thought he'd feel again.

Warm, warm hands... now cold and almost lifeless.

Sasuke gritted his teeth and looked away. His bandaged hand clenched tightly, a pang of something once forgotten gripping his chest.

'_Look away._

_None of this means anything anymore._

_...Look away.'_

"Oi.. S-Sasuke." A breathless voice broke him out of his stupor. "I can…I can feel them." Naruto warned, his voice extremely low and shaky. Slowly, the blond struggled to move, using his hands on either side of the Uchiha to support himself. Every bit of movement upset his open wounds, the pain causing his arms to shake uncontrollably. But he did not relent and force himself to sit up again, his tan fingers digging deep into the earth for additional support. "Bastard… y-you need to go now."

'_What…_

"They're closing in."

…_are you saying?'_

"Go..." With apparent difficulty, Naruto slowly lifted his head and looked his rival in the eye. "Go now." And with trembling lips, he smiled. "I'll be fine."

With wobbly legs, Naruto leaned to the side and crawled away. But it was futile as Naruto's unsteady arms gave in and he collapsed right away, his face hitting the rocky earth first. He winced. _That hurt._

"Shit." Naruto mumbled, once again trying to catch his breath. He knew he's bleeding but he has no idea of the real extent of the damage. The fall was not that serious but the explosion had hit him directly. He didn't even have the chance to properly cover himself. The last thing he remembered is that before he felt the burn, he felt some fragments pierced his body. The impact pushed both of them way past the edge… and they fell.

_They fell._

Naruto felt something accumulate in his throat, and before he could swallow it, he coughed. Thick, red blood sputtered from his mouth as he coughed a few more times after that.

With vision already blurring, Naruto took one last look at his rival. It's no use. He couldn't see the raven's face clearly. He's losing blood, and losing consciousness. He finally admitted to himself that his injuries might be worse than he thought. Numbed by the cold rain, Naruto noted that he could no longer feel his fingers or his legs. Or any part of his body. He could barely move. Had trouble breathing and couldn't stop his body from shivering in the cold. In his own hazy vision, he saw his own blood swimming with the rain, creating a pinkish pool of blood.

_Bleeding. He's still bleeding._

And it won't stop.

"_Teme._" Naruto gurgled out. "What the hell… are you still doing here?"

"…I said, just go." Naruto continued. "Y-you can still make it. I'll heal. I'll catch up." Naruto grinned weakly, then let his head slump to the ground once again. He knew, and he has a feeling the other knew as well that it's a big lie. He will not be able to catch up because this time, he won't heal. Not anymore. The _Kyuubi _will never heal him again. He's on his own now. "I'll catch up." He repeated in the most determined voice he could muster.

Naruto felt his throat itch and he coughed again. "So, just…go, you bastard."

Without any warning, something grabbed the side of his collar and he was harshly yanked up. Naruto grunted quietly, having no capacity to shout anymore. His throat felt dry and hoarse, and he's seconds away from losing consciousness.

"What the _fuck _are you saying?" The raven hissed. "You… you idiot."

'_What?'_

"…You big _fucking_ idiot."

'_Is he angry?' _Naruto mused. '_Why is he angry?' _With half-lidded eyes and dwindling consciousness, Naruto just stared distractedly at his teammate.

"Why?" Sasuke's voice came out breathless, his tone almost desperate. Or maybe this is just an illusion, Naruto thought. He's losing blood and he's getting delirious. "Why… do you keep on doing this? What's wrong with you?" Naruto felt the grip on his collar shake as the raven's hand violently trembled. Even in his hazy vision, Naruto could make out the seething anger and confusion written all over his rival's face.

"Why?" Sasuke repeated, his voice frantic and almost broken. Naruto was at lost. He could barely pay attention as his eyelids began to droop. '_There's no way the bastard could sound like that,' _he thought.

"Bastard. Stop wasting time… and just go."

"No, you idiot." The Uchiha spat, both of his hands now grasping the other's shoulders firmly. "Why—"

"Just go, Sasuke." Naruto croaked out, "Just _fucking_ go. I'll be fine. I'll cover for you."

"…."

"I promise. I'll catch up."

"I'll catch up." Naruto repeated, his pained voice merely a whisper. He looked at Sasuke one last time and gave a small but determined smile. Then slowly, Naruto closed his eyes and let his head sag to his chest. Something warm trickle down his face, but he no longer felt it as everything in his world… went black.

* * *

_[You have not lost everything yet, Sasuke…_

…_Walk away from this and you might not have another chance.]_

He could hear Kakashi's words linger in the air as his numb, bloodstained hands start to loosen its grip. Like the heavy downpour, those words flooded his mind, echoing repeatedly in his head. He blinked a few times, as if in total loss. As if he couldn't accept, could not believe what has happened right before his eyes. His breathing came out shallow and uneven, his pale face marred by a disbelieving expression.

For a full minute, the Uchiha just stared, his hand unable to let go of his teammate. His eyes remained fixed at the blond's unusually pallid face. He watched as the raindrops streamed down the other's chest, washing away the massive amount of dried blood.

… And then the spell broke.

As if suddenly doused with cold water, Sasuke clenched his teeth. Every fiber of his being trembled with unadulterated rage… and above all—dread. Bone-chilling dread that he had not felt for a long time now consumed him mercilessly. Panic pervaded his entire system. And he couldn't think clearly. He couldn't understand.

"Oi Naruto!" Unknowingly, his grip tightened again. "Oi moron, wake up." The blond did not move. The raven started shaking him again, pale fingers gripping hard enough to bruise. He could barely contain his anger, his mask of indifference shattering to pieces.

Because deep in his gut, he knew.

That those severe wounds will not heal. That the moron's promise was just a lie.

_And he's dying._

Trapped at the bottom of a ravine and mortally wounded, Naruto has very slim chances of survival. He's bleeding to death.

"Why?" His voice cracked, his cruel resolve crumbling right before his eyes.

'_No._ _No…'_

His head sunk, his gaze fixed at the ground, the last words of his brother replaying in his head. Every word cut deeply, and all he could feel was regret. Nothing but regret.

"No." Sasuke's limited chakra flared all of a sudden, the color of his eyes alternating between black and red. "Not this time, _usuratonkatchi_. You will not…" Sasuke looked up, raising one hand to grasp the blond's jaw. "…Die on me." His fingers cracked open the other's eyelids. With clenched teeth, Sasuke strained to call forth his _sharingan_. His eyes began to sting, warm blood creeping out of his sockets. At his chakra-restrained state, utilizing the powerful eye technique is extremely difficult, if not impossible. His vision started to blur considerably and he could barely see anything. He closed his eyes-

-and when he opened them again, all he could see is red. _Tomoes_ spinning, he looked directly at the lifeless eyes of his dying teammate.

* * *

Red chakra filled the room as Sasuke found himself knee-deep in water. In the background, he could hear a relentless dripping of water. The heat that surrounded him was almost unbearable, reminding him of the last time he went inside the vessel.

"_**You."**_

A familiar menacing voice. Sasuke looked up and stared at the massive, intimidating eyes of the nine-tailed beast.

"_**Uchiha. How dare you—."**_

"Heal him." Sasuke voiced, his tone threatening.

Water rippled as the raven stepped forward, eyes glinting in resolve and poorly concealed resentment. "Heal him, demon." Sasuke repeated.

The _Kyuubi_ stilled, rendered speechless by the outsider's nerve to interrupt and command him.

For a brief eternity, both of them just stared at each other. And then, the demon fox broke the silence with a deep, mocking laughter.

**"**_**Heal him?" **_The _Kyuubi's_ sneered, all its teeth showing proudly. _**"Human, you want me to heal a dying vessel?"**_

'_Dying.' _Sasuke flinched at that.

"_**Why, Uchiha?" **_The demon's eyes narrowed, a hint of curiosity in its eyes. _**"Isn't that what you want? Blood. You have stained your hands with his blood so many times. Tried to kill him at his weakest. With no remorse, no mercy. Not even the slightest bit of hesitation."**_

The beast continued. _**"And now, you want me… to heal him?"**_

Sasuke stayed silent, clenching his fists tightly. The beast's sardonic amusement does not sit well with him but he is unable to respond. He couldn't. It was true.

"_**Why?"**_

"None of your business, demon." Sasuke advanced forward. "Just heal him." The raven stopped. "Or else you will die."

The beast laughed again, its eyes wide open, its fangs dripping with saliva. _**"Is that a threat?"**_

"_**Death."**_ The _Kyuubi _lowered its head and stared intensely at the raven. _**"I do not fear death, Uchiha."**_

"_**Nor do I fear you weak humans…**_

…_**I no longer fear anything."**_

With their leveled gaze, the raven can now see his reflection on the demon's eyes. He did not like the image he saw. There's blood everywhere on his body—on his face, on his clothes, on his tattered bandages. _Blood that is not his_.

_Too much blood that is not his._

"…"

"_**But I still desire something." **_The slit in the _Kyuubi's_ eyes thinned even more. _**"Something that you alone can give. Freedom."**_

"_**Give my freedom back."**_

'_Freedom?'_

"_**Only my vessel has the power to remove the cursed seal." **_The demon leaned more forward, its breaths now fanning Sasuke's face. _**"Control him, Uchiha."**_

"…"

"…_**Force him to rip out the seal from my cage."**_

"_**Let me out." **_The demon bared its fangs, grinning even wider. _**"And maybe, he will live."**_

'_Maybe?'_

The Uchiha gaped at the fox. "Are you mocking me, demon? That seal. If the seal is taken out…" Sasuke's voice grew deeper, his eyes grim. "Naruto… He'll die."

The beast sneered maliciously, its eyes swimming in pure hatred. _**"Exactly."**_

Sasuke seethed in anger, his shoulders shaking as he clenched his fists tightly. "You **demon**." He spat.

The raven's eyes began to bleed again as he attempted to prolong the effect of his _sharingan._ It failed. His vision merely blurred and he felt nauseated all of a sudden. He's dangerously low on chakra. He could not keep this up.

"_**I told you before that you will regret this."**_

"No…"

"_**You will regret everything, Uchiha."**_

The whole chamber began to spin and everything in his vision slowly ebbed away. His eyes, no longer crimson, remained fixed at the _Kyuubi. "No..." _Sasuke ran forward, attempting to reach the iron bars. But before he could grasp it, it vanished. He could only look at his hand suspended in the air.

And as his world dimmed, all he could hear was the demon's deep, mocking laughter.

* * *

Sasuke blinked many times, trying to get the blood and water out of his eyes. He repositioned his teammate in his arms, rain still pounding heavily on them. It was cold, but he can no longer feel it. He's already numb.

"Naruto."

He whispered, his voice betraying his cold exterior. It was a broken whisper. "I…"

Slowly, pale hands wrapped around the other, pulling the blond into a firm embrace. Sasuke closed his eyes, burying his head deep into his friend's shoulder. Something warm and moist burned his eyes and streamed down his face. His chest tightened and his shoulders shook.

And for the first time since his brother's death, Uchiha Sasuke broke down and cried.

* * *

The metallic smell of blood hung in the air, mixing with the poignant smell of fresh earth after the rain. It has finally stopped raining and he could feel the warmth of the sun ghosting over his cheeks. Someone must have left his window open, letting the sun shine its full glory in his room. But he did not dare move, or open his eyes. For two days, he has not moved, nor eaten, nor drunk anything. For two days, he lay there in his room like a dead man.

_Silent. Everything is silent._

He felt a familiar aura outside his room. _It_ hesitated for a moment, before opening the door. After he heard the door closed, the raven slowly opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, saying nothing.

"Sasuke." Said a voice.

Silence reigned for a few more seconds before the raven finally tilted his head to the side, half-facing the other.

"Sakura."

And all hell broke loose.

In a split second, Sakura has the other pinned against the wooden wall, some splinters flying in the air. Sakura looked at Sasuke with livid eyes, the side of her forearm thrust into the raven's neck.

Sakura could feel tears welling up her eyes and tried to blink them away, but to no avail.

The raven stared down at her. He could feel the medic-nin's arm digging deeper into his neck. But he didn't care. His gaze travelled downward and he noticed traces of blood marring the other's usually immaculate uniform.

_Blood._

Sasuke stilled at the sight.

"Naruto." The raven spoke.

Sakura froze, then felt Sasuke grasping her wrist firmly. "Where is he?"

(TBC)


	13. Relenting

"_I close my eyes,_

_Hold my breath,_

_And pray that this storm will pass." (1)_

* * *

**Chapter 13: Relenting**

_Restraint._

_If there's one thing she's ever been good at – it was self-restraint. At the very least, she could say that most of time, she is good at controlling herself. Being a medical ninja has taught her a lot of crucial things, not just in the medical field, but also in holding her emotions in check. When faced with dire, unfamiliar situations, she had learned the art of tranquility and detachment. The sight and smell of blood no longer fazed her, even a mangled body or a decapitated corpse. For years, she has learned to tolerate various human abnormalities and illnesses. It was hard at first – terribly difficult to keep a straight face when dealing with issues such as diseases, dying, and certain death. But as years go by, she managed. She learned how to cope… to adapt… to control._

"Naruto…?" _Her voice quivered. Her knees suddenly felt weak and her eyes began to burn. 'Was this even…?'_

_Because this—_

—_this is a whole different story._

_The whole scenario was unsettling. It looked morbid and hopeless, a stark contrast to the environment she's accustomed to. They were situated in small, antiquated clinic miles away from Konoha, but the closest in proximity to their temporary headquarters. She was briefed that it used to be a thriving medical facility to aid or treat people close to the borders. But now, due to the current crisis, the facility had been forsaken. It must have been at least two years since the facility was last used. That much she could tell – with its pitiful state._

_The rain still has not ceased, making the underground clinic damp and cool. In the small room, the smell of something decaying was unmistakable. The tiles attached to the floor were dirty, filled with mold and grime at the seams, and some of them are even cracked – irreparable and should be replaced already. The walls are yellowish and there are even traces of blood smeared on some part._

_She could hear a soft and relentless dripping of water in the background and there's barely any lighting in the small room. She glanced furtively around, noting the old and obviously contaminated medical equipment. It was a fortunate thing she brought her own supplies. Though they were still lacking._

_But the facility and the equipment were the least of her worry._

_As cold as the blade clutched between her trembling fingers, her emerald eyes focused on the bloodied, almost unrecognizable figure of her teammate. Her teammate lay on a barely standing hospital bed, bloodied and torn. Barely breathing. _

_Slowly, as if in a daze, she staggered towards the blond and reached out her hand to take a pulse. Feeling a faint throb, she lowered her hand and touched her teammate's chest. The unnaturally pallid body felt awfully cold even beneath her gloved fingers. 'So cold,' she thought. She forced herself not to cringe._

_Her fingers emitted a green chakra as she quickly surveyed the damage. "I need to extract the shrapnel first." Sakura declared, her voice low and calm. "He's lost a lot of blood. With this much damage, we will need a blood transfusion. Sensei," She glanced at her former instructor._

_The copy-nin nodded, aware of what Sakura needed. "Type B. Don't worry, Sakura. Yamato's on it. He'll be here as soon as he can."_

_Sakura seemed to weigh in the words of her sensei. Her expression looked contemplative, her lips pressed in a very thin line, but her eyes remained sharp, her posture straight. She then nodded. Swallowing hard, she began the operation._

* * *

_Sakura closed her eyes, and breathed deeply. It was just a mere two hours, but it felt like all the energy has been drained from her. Captain Yamato has arrived just in time and—noticing her exhausted state—volunteered to set the transfusion equipment himself._

_Sakura watched as her captain continued the work. But nothing seemed to register in her mind. And she could feel nothing. Like this was a dream and everything was in slow motion. Her fingers trembled. Instinctively, she tightened her hold on the scalpel, unaware of the force she's exerting, until a distinct metallic sound rung in the air. She looked down and found the metal handle broken, separated by a clean straight line. For a while, she remained transfixed at the cracked scalpel until pale fingers wrapped around her wrist, calling her attention._

"_Sakura."_

"…_."_

"_Sakura, it's over."_

_Sakura blinked once, then turned to face her instructor. "Sensei. I… "_

_And at that moment, it finally shattered._

_The severity of situation finally dawned on her, its immense weight cutting deep, shattering all the pretenses and fake restraint. All of a sudden, she felt dizzy as the small room seemed to spin around her. Everything seemed hazy and unreal. It must have been from exhaustion, or the shock, or the gaping dread gripping her system that she suddenly felt extremely weak. One last gaze at the bloodstained jacket and she found herself dropping to her knees. Wide-eyed, she could only stare at the floor..._

…_And she cried._

_Burying her face in her hands, she finally cried. Her shoulders shook as tears streamed down her face, down her hands and onto the chipped, cracked floor._

"_Sensei. I… don't know if I… saved him. I can't save him. Too much blood. There's too much. Naruto. Baka-Naruto! How? I don't… He's dying, sensei. But he's strong, right? He's always been… much stronger. Damn it." She mumbled, her words incoherent, her voice shrill with worry and panic. "I…Idiot. He's always been… such an idiot. Stupid, stupid Naruto." Sakura gripped the sides of her instructor's vest, her face pressed hard against the other's chest._

"…_."_

_Kakashi did not say anything, his expression effectively hidden behind his mask. His silver hair, damp from either rain or sweat, clung to his brows, masking his only visible eye._

_After a moment of silence, he pulled Sakura closer and tentatively wrapped his arms around his student. A simple gesture. But this was the only sense of comfort he could give._

_As Yamato watched the interaction pensively, the single bulb lighting the small room flickered a bit…_

…_before it finally died._

* * *

It **hurt**.

No matter how many times Sakura denied it, her love for him has never ceased. After all these years, after all the hurt and betrayal, she still loves him. It was foolish, excruciatingly one-sided but she still can't let it go. Because no matter how desperate this love is, it is the only thing she can hold on to. She had tried so hard, and had _sacrificed_ the safety of her teammate twice for this lingering feeling of affection. For that single promise. For that selfish, naive promise made years ago. She hated it. She hated him. And she hated herself…

So much. _So much_, that it's eating away all the semblance of sanity in her. This guilt, this overwhelming regret, this single promisecrumbling everything. If she could only take it back… take everything back…

And the fact that he is here now, in front of her, alive and strong, offered no consolation. She could not feel anything but a painful, gaping sense of bitterness.

"…Where is he?"

And then the man spoke.

She froze. His voice was still soothingly deep. A voice so smooth and calm that it mocked everything.

She felt her throat constrict, suddenly unable to speak. She looked at the Uchiha, her wide emerald eyes filled with confusion…

…Then **anger**.

"How… dare you." She hissed. The first words she ever said to him. "How…" And her arm dug deeper into the raven's neck. "You. Did you… did you even…?" She questioned, almost out of breath, out of words.

'_Know what you did? Know what happened? Know what I've gone through?_

Know what _**he's**_ gone through..?'

"You have no right." And her face was nearer, threatening and pained. "…To even ask where he is. After everything you've done!"

"…."

"After everything you've done…"

There was not a crease in the Uchiha's countenance, not even a slight movement or a response as Sakura glared at him, thrusting her forearm more firmly on the Uchiha's neck.

_["He hasn't eaten, Sakura. It's been two days…_

… _I know this is hard, but please take care of him."]_

'_Two days?'_Sakura thought in contempt. _'Does it matter how long it's been? Does that change things? __Will he die this time? Will he…? Would that save Naruto…?'_

Her eyes welled. Without blinking, a single tear trickled down her flushed cheek. And she let go. As if burned, she pulled back hastily and looked down, refusing to let the Uchiha see that unmistakable show of weakness. Again. She will not break down in front of him again. She is not that weak anymore. She could fight. She could save lives now. She could…

But her gaze wavered. The wooden floor filled with sharp splinters suddenly became somewhat blurry. And suddenly, there were small blobs of water beside her feet. And they were increasing.

She tentatively touched her face. It felt wet… and knew right then and there—that she failed.

_Hah,_ she smiled bitterly. She's crying again. "Damn this."

_'Stupid Sakura.'_

'_Stupid, weak, selfish Sakura.'_ She thought sullenly as tears continued to fall, as the images from two days ago began seeping back into her memory, and that familiar feeling of despair crept back in without reprieve.

"Naruto. He…."

_One by one, she took out the metal pieces embedded in his teammate's torso. It was like taking pieces from a puzzle, or removing the needles from an acupuncture session. Her movements were careful, deliberate and exact, while her chakra focused on effectively clotting the blood which threatened to seep out from the deep wounds. There were no mistakes and she was confident that she has performed it flawlessly. An almost perfect medical ninja. The Godaime would be proud._

_But this unfeeling, professional attitude did not last long._

_As soon as the last piece of metal shrapnel was removed, Sakura's world began spinning again. All the feelings she tried to suppress emerged without mercy. Her fingertips shook, and beads of sweat roll down her temple. She was sweating but her skin felt so cold, almost tingling, almost numb. Her once even breathing became erratic and she could hear the relentless and loud beating of her heart against her chest._

_Panic invaded every fiber of her being as she stared at her blond teammate – as if finally, finally noticing who this person is…_

_And she trembled, that single wretched state burned forever in her mind…_

Gritting her teeth, she wiped her tears promptly. No matter the situation, she has a duty to perform. These feelings and thoughts, she told herself, were something she doesn't need right now.

"I…I need to check your injuries." She said quietly. Predictably, there was no response. She took it as an affirmative.

Hesitantly, she looked up and gazed at the pale man, taking in the injuries, but being careful not to look directly at the Uchiha's eyes. There were faint marks on the neck area, a deep laceration on one arm, and a few scratches on the visible area on the chest. Half of those visible wounds she can attribute from her Sensei's briefing. The copy ninja informed her that they've sensed and heard an explosion before they rushed off to the area as fast as they can. Unfortunately while on their way, they were slowed down by a dozen hunter-nins coming from all directions. It took the three of them at least an hour to subdue the enemies. By the time they got there to the scene, a small inconspicuous ravine in the depth of the forest, it was almost too late.

Cautiously, she paced towards the rogue-nin. She raised one hand, but before she could reach skin, pale fingers gripped her wrist again. More force this time. Sasuke's fingers felt deathly cold around her wrist but she did not pull back.

"I don't like repeating myself, Sakura." Sasuke's voice was still deep, but no longer calm and a hint of displeasure in its tone. "I ask again. Where is he?"

"Where are you keeping him?"

Eyes narrowed and as dark as grave, Sasuke looked frightening.

If Sakura was not expecting it, she could have recoiled. But she did expect it. She only stared back at him, her eyes giving nothing away.

And then without warning, her other hand emitting green chakra flew and stroked one vital point on the Uchiha's neck.

It must have been due to his injuries or self-induced starvation that made the Uchiha slow to react. Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction before his own knees buckled and finally gave in, forcing him in a sitting position. Sakura could have felt proud, but in that moment, she felt nothing.

Without much ado, she knelt in front of him. Her hands hovered over the form of the other. As she found no serious injuries, she opted to focus on his injured arm. She took a medical ointment and a small white cloth from her pouch and began cleaning the wound. It was no longer bleeding and seemed to be healing quite well. Someone must have already tended the wound. Someone must have…

She bit her lip. She knew.

"…Naruto. He…" She started meekly, entirely unsure of why she did. But she couldn't help it. The silence –this stifling, unbearable silence—she needed to break it. She craved for a distraction, for any noise, even if it's one-sided. "He treated this wound, didn't he? That idiot. He must have forgotten to use a cloth again. Stupid."

"But he did a good job, really. Obviously better than his previous attempts." She continued. "The wound – it's healing quite well. I'm surprised he's actually listened to my pointers. Really, that thick-head." And Sakura smiled.

She knew there will be no response and she wasn't disappointed. But her tentative smile wavered still and her heart clenched.

'_How long are you going to stay silent, Sasuke-kun?'_

Silence stretched. For seconds, minutes…

'_How long are you going to ignore me…?' _Sakura thought but couldn't find the guts to say it out loud. Should she say it? Say anything? Break this hurtful silence? Should she dare…?

"…."

Her lips pressed in a thin line. A slim crease forms between her brows. She shifted uncomfortably.

She hates this.

This silence. This deceptive, fabricated moment of peace. Bit by bit, it melted away her anger, her grief, even her resolve. Until everything faded away entirely.

Her eyes formerly gleaming with resolve and resentment are now tainted—being overwhelmed—with a growing feeling of fear and aversion.

_Fear._

Her skin prickled, cold sweat dripping from her temples, and despite the heat of the afternoon, she shivered.

In this room where the smell of blood remains pungent and malice thick in the air, Sakura felt terrified, horribly misplaced. Foreign in her own skin. In this silent room. Like she doesn't belong here and she's not needed here.

And the raven's eyes. Those cold, unforgiving dark orbs.

She could feel those eyes glaring at her diminutive form, boring deep, never leaving her. Eyes which she knew are filled with madness and hate. It was quite ironic how in the past, she longed for these eyes to focus solely on her. Now, she has it—_this sole, undivided attention_—but in all its sick, twisted glory. She felt like laughing. _Sad. How terribly ironic._

"…Sakura."

Sakura nearly dropped the bandage. A voice spoke, finally breaking the silence. Sasuke called her, still with that smooth voice, but she did not dare look up.

"…Ne, do I scare you Sakura? Are you afraid of me?"

But it was hard. Her gaze shot up. "W-What?"

Their gazes met, and slowly Sasuke's lips curved upwards, sneering, mocking. "Indeed you are."

"….!"

"Tch. Pathetic."

The medic-nin bristled, but not out of the blatant insult, not out of shame, nor the urge to defend herself. She felt cornered.

"A-As if. You don't scare me anymore, Sas—Uchiha!" She bit her tongue.

"You don't." Sakura gritted her teeth, brows deeply furrowed, trying to look intimidating. "Not anymore." But her eyes betrayed her. The look in her eyes, that unfocused, hesitant look, filled with fear and nothing else. Too explicit. She could not hide it.

_This shame._

_This guilt._

_This fear…._

And the pale man caught it. "Really?" Mouthed. Sasuke licked his lips slowly, his dead eyes gazing directly at Sakura. He remained stone-faced, never flinching.

If the pale man could move, he could have closed the gap between their faces, daunting her even more. Sakura never felt so helpless, never felt so vulnerable and exposed. She could barely breathe. "You don't seem very convincing." Sasuke continued.

Feeling her fingertips suddenly go numb, Sakura gripped the bandage tightly. "I… I am not afraid of you and I don't care what you think—."

"Prove it then." Sasuke interrupted, still leering, twisted mirth evident on his face. But his eyes remained dead. "Show me."

"…What—?" Breathless. Morbidly confused.

"Look around, Sakura. We are the only ones here. In this room." Sasuke said the words slowly, as if instructing a child. "Alone. Just you…and me. There will be no one to stop you. I am entirely in your disposal."

_No one._

Sakura froze. She realized, with dread, what was going to be said next. _'No. Stop.'_

"It would be easy and it would be quick. Just take your kunai out," Sasuke tilted his head a little, showing off one side of his pale, slender neck, "and slit this throa—."

"STOP!" Sakura shouted, panicking, a tremor in her own voice. The new gauze dropped to the ground. Sakura's clenched fists were shaking at her sides, along with her shoulders. Frantic. She could feel a wave of nausea rippling through her chest. She felt sick. "What are you saying? What the… I'm not like you! I'm not a murderer. I… I don't...k-kill…."

'…_Wait.' _Steep intake of breath. _'He doesn't mean…?'_

"Kill? You don't kill people?" Sasuke laughed. It has a bitter, hollow sound, terrifying. Cold. "No. Let me rephrase that. You don't kill _innocents_. But I am no innocent, Sakura. I am never the innocent. And you already know that, don't you?"

_You know everything…_

"Of my sins. Of the blood on my hands… Of the consequences of letting me live." The rogue-nin trailed on."You understood everything and that is why you gave up on me. You finally let go of that fantasy of yours. I can no longer be saved. Hence when I betrayed all of you, you betrayed me back. If that attempt to kill me before was any proof…" And the smile grew more pronounced, voice lower, eyes narrowed. "Really. I didn't imagine you had it in you, Sakura…_chan._ It was poison, isn't it?"(2)

Sakura shut her eyes, brought her hands to her ears and pressed them tightly against her head—willing all the sounds, all the accusations to stop. Like a child, she pleaded, sobbing, tears once again marring her face. "Stop… Please stop."

Because it was true. All of it. She did gave up—choosing to follow everyone else's distrust and hatred for the youngest Uchiha. He's a sinner. A cold-blooded murderer. An enemy. Nothing but a rogue. She always professed that she loved him and confessed to him many times. She claimed that she trusted him, believed in him. But in the end, she relented. She gave up. In her mind, Sasuke Uchiha is beyond help, beyond redemption. Undeserving of their sacrifices. Of their forgiveness. There was no hope left for him.

And when she threw the white flag, she never looked back.

'_You call this friendship? You dare call this… love?'_ Sakura bit her lip hard—she could taste the blood rolling on her tongue. It tasted bitter.

"Tell me," Sasuke continued, "when you pointed that kunai at me, did you hesitate? Did you even—."

"He's _**dead**_!" A shout.

Sakura's lips suddenly moved. On impulse—

—she fought back. She lied.

_And thrust the blade deep where it hurts._

"Naruto…" She breathed deeply, then looked straight at the Uchiha's eyes. "He's dead."

—As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew she will regret it. It was a lie. It wasn't the truth. And she knew it was beyond cruel but at this moment, she no longer cared. Because she could not bear to listen anymore, could not bear the shame, this regret, these never-ending waves of guilt. She wanted it to stop.

She wanted him to _hurt._

"He's dead." (3) Sakura repeated. A mere whisper this time.

The world froze. Once again, silence stretched and rippled across the room like mad waves. It was a maddening, suffocating moment of calm. No one dared to move or say anything. Even breathing seemed inconsequential.

For a few seconds, they just stared at each other. Then as if suddenly drained, Sakura's shoulders sag. Her entire body felt like lumps of clay. She felt numb. Slowly, she lowered her hands to her sides and stared blankly at the floor, repeating the same words in her head. Every word has stabbed her heart, even though all of it were a mere lie.

As Sakura stared dully at the splinters beneath her knees, she could feel the growing heaviness in her chest. It was like her heart was threatening to burst from her ribcage. Though she appeared static on the outside, inwardly, her heart was beating in a frantic pace, gripped by some raw emotion she refused to name.

"What… did you say?"

And then a voice. It sounded strained and depleted. Piteous. Almost unreal. Sakura looked up, disbelieving her ears. But the expression behind the voice—she never saw it as a hand suddenly flew and grabbed her neck. Vaguely, she noted that it was the same hand that she was treating earlier. She blinked. _'I-Impossible!' _She had him fully immobile, she was sure of it. But what happened?

"Sa-Sasuke-kun…" She gasped out as the hand tightened considerably. The Uchiha's face betrayed his faint voice earlier. There was nothing but pure, seething rage in his face. Madness glinting in his narrowed eyes. A much darker, overwhelming aura pervaded the room.

Sakura couldn't breathe.

"I dare you to say that again, Sakura." Hissed. Voice impossibly low but no less menacing. Lacking oxygen, Sakura's vision began to blur. Black spots filled the corner of her sight. Her eyes watered. She could feel nails digging in her skin. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. She gripped the other's wrist but it was useless. He wouldn't let go.

"Again. Say that again." And his face was suddenly nearer, his breaths fanning the other's face.

"Stop—"

"Who is dead, Sakura?"

She could no longer see his face. Her eyes start to roll. She was losing consciousness. Her hands dropped limply to her sides.

"Who died? Tell me." A little louder. Almost desperate.

But all Sakura could hear now were murmurs. They failed to register in her head.

'…_Sasuke…kun.'_

One last futile gasp from the medic-nin and finally, everything went black.

* * *

"It would be unwise to kill her, Sasuke-kun."

The Uchiha stilled, recognizing the familiar voice and aura. "Aside from the fact that we still need her, we cannot bear any casualties for now. So I suggest you—"

Sasuke took the hint and let go, but did not turn towards the voice. He knew the newcomer's location in the room even without looking. "You're _fucking_ late, Madara." The younger Uchiha growled out, eyes flashing deep red. His chakra restraints have just been dispelled, courtesy of the elder.

The orange-masked ninja raised a brow at that. "Quite the temper there, my dear nephew. We have just extracted the _Hachibi_. That takes a lot of time and chakra, you know." The older Uchiha advanced towards the other, sneering at the damage in the room. Madara's lips parted slowly. "Next up..._ Kyuubi."_

"Take me to _him_."

It was not a request. Madara blinked then removed his gaze from the splintered wood to regard the younger Uchiha. Sasuke stared directly at him, unflinching. A perfect face chiseled to insanity. _If looks could kill, _Madara thought, _this one would be a massacre._

"I don't care if he is dead, dying, or already buried. Take. Me. To. Him…

…Now." Sasuke demanded, punctuating every word.

Madara felt his spine tingle, profoundly amused. Behind the dubious mask, his sneer grew wider, his visible eye gleaming dangerously. "As you wish, Sasuke-kun." Then the elder looked back at the medic-nin lying helplessly on the floor,_ Mangekyou_ already activated. "We will need her."

* * *

"_It was my fears that have kept me moving…_

_And my fragile heart that has kept me safe."_

* * *

It was already the fifth day when Naruto first opened his eyes, stared at the ceiling blankly for a few seconds, then closed his eyes again. That was the first time he woke up since the incident. But he wouldn't be able to remember that. He's still in a state where his consciousness is still drifting between reality and the dream world. Almost in a vegetative state. One of the repercussions of almost dying. For days, he slept soundlessly.

The second time he opened his eyes, a week has already passed. He was left staring dazedly at the cracked, web-infested ceiling again. He blinked slowly a few times, trying to recognize whose ceiling is this, or which facility does it belong to. After a few seconds, he gave up, and turned his attention to his side. With vision still a bit blurry, he squinted his eyes to focus. But all he could see were tubes and wires meshed together and a white blanket under his arm. His gaze focused a bit downward and he noticed that a white blanket was indeed covering him.

'_Hospital? Am I in a hospital?' _Naruto thought vaguely.

He tried to move his arm but failed. Tried to move his feet but ended up with the same result. It was like his whole body felt immensely numb and he could not move. And so, Naruto decided to just sleep again. He snored that night. But it was a dreamless sleep.

The next day, he was awakened by a hand gripping his own. It was a gentle, yet firm hold, and the hand was soft and warm. He opened his eyes again, stared down to the left, and saw the sleeping face of his medic teammate. Stunned, his eyes widened and instinctively gripped the other's hand.

Sakura felt it. She lifted her head slowly.

"S-Sa…" Naruto attempted to speak. "Sakura…chan?" He managed to call out, though barely above a whisper. His voice was gruff and his throat felt dry—like he swallowed a cupful of sand—and the sand stayed in his throat, making it hard to speak.

The medic-nin visibly froze, her once glazed eyes now straining to focus on him. When they did, she immediately stood up, knocking over the rusty chair where she is sitting, "N-Naruto?"

"Hey." The blond replied, smiling weakly. "How are ya? Wait. What happened—?"

A pair of arms engulfed him in a tight embrace. Sakura sobbed and spoke at the same time, "_Baka!_ We were all… so worried about you. You stupid, stupid…idiot. You were… you were out for days, you know that?"

'_Heh, a redundant insult. Sakura must have been really out of it_,' Naruto thought. Blushing a little because of the unexpected contact, the blond could only smile back. His eyelids felt heavy and so he closed them, reveling in the warmth of the embrace, a welcomed comfort to the chilly graveyard feel of the room. "I have... really no idea, Sakura-chan."

"I'm sorry…" He added. "I'm… I didn't mean to—."

And Sakura sobbed harder, planted her face deeper into his shoulder blades. Naruto could feel the wetness forming on his shoulders now, those unabashed tears trickling down his forearm, and he finally noticed that he's wearing nothing, practically topless in front of his long-time former crush. Just bandages covering his whole torso and nothing more. He fought the urge to blush again. It failed spectacularly. His heartbeat quickened and felt heat spread on his face.

Sakura tightened her hold momentarily, before letting go. Once released, Naruto stared at the tear-streaked face of his teammate. He was rendered speechless. Sakura's hair was uncharacteristically tangled and messy; her eyes were red and puffy, with black circles under it, indicating lack of sleep or severe fatigue. Naruto couldn't help but feel that it was all because of him and he felt guilt slap him hard on the face. He frowned.

Sakura's hands clasped his shoulder. "Are you okay? Do you feel anything?"

"Uh no." Naruto said truthfully. Indeed, he doesn't feel anything. In fact, his whole body felt numb. Worse, there are some body parts he could not feel at all but he refused to tell Sakura about this. "I'm fine, Sakura-chan! Really I am. You don't have to worry." Naruto grinned. "Just a little…uh… hungry I guess." And as if on cue, the blond's stomach growled loudly.

"A little?" Sakura chuckled.

"Actually I'm famished. Haven't eaten for days! Ne Sakura-chan look, I'm skin and bones! I don't want to lose this awesome body." Sakura scoffed. "I want to eat right now!" Naruto glanced around, finding his neck a little stiff. "Do you have, you know, food here?"

Sakura sighed. Leave it to the blond to mind his stomach first above all else. "Wait. I'll go get your food. Don't move, okay. You might open your wounds. They aren't completely healed yet. Just lie there and be still." Sakura instructed.

"Sure, Sakura-chan!" The medic-nin smiled and let her gaze linger at his teammate for a few seconds before she left.

As soon as he heard the door closed, Naruto collapsed to the bed. One hand flew to the chest, stroking the thin material enclosing it. His chest ached. There's a burning sensation in it.

"Yo!"

Naruto's heart almost jumped from his chest. He sat up, his eyes immediately turning to the left. "EH! Sensei!" He fumed. "Don't scare people like that, you _baka_! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Ehehe. _Gomen_, Naruto." The copy-nin doesn't look apologetic at all. If anything, he seemed more amused. He just raised his hand, his visible eye seemingly a bit relieved? Naruto couldn't tell what exactly. But the blond smiled back nonetheless, still rubbing his sore chest. "So I've heard you woke up. How do you feel?"

Naruto sighed heavily, feeling weariness starting to consume his body once again. "Sakura asked the same thing. I'm fine, I'm fine. Geez. It's not like I was dying back there, you know. What happened anyway?"

"Well, actually…"

"And where's Sasuke?" Naruto asked blearily. He felt dizzy all of a sudden. He shut his eyes, feeling a terrible pounding in his head. He could feel vomit accumulating in his throat. He tried to swallow it, fighting the urge to throw up. "Is he…? The bastard… I… Sakura-chan. Ramen…" Naruto trailed off_, _forgetting his own train of thought, as his eyelids dropped.

Kakashi couldn't help but smile beneath his mask. He put a hand over the blond's shoulder and gently pushed him to the bed. "Shush, Naruto. You need to rest. Go back to sleep." The copy-nin's voice was soothing to Naruto's ears.

"O…kay."

And just like that, Naruto dozed off again.

* * *

_That night, he dreamed._

_The dream was a bit vague and he couldn't remember most of it. But he could recall the rain. The soft, lulling sound of the raindrops as they fall quietly to the ground. He gazed towards the sky and narrowed his eyes as raindrops dripped down his face. It was a starless night. The skies were grey and grim. The air was chilly, biting wind caressing his skin. In the background, there were dim silhouettes of trees. Trapped among their thin branches, he caught the sight of the moon. As if bathed in blood, the moon was crimson red. It looked terrifying. He shivered. He wrapped his arms around his body._

_"…!"_

_And suddenly, without any warning, black flames appeared from nowhere and encircled him. He panicked. He moved, flailed his arms, trying to extinguish the flames. But all of his efforts were useless. The black flames continue to devour his body._

_"__Don't you dare… don't you dare die on me…_

…_Naruto."_

_He screamed._

* * *

Naruto awoke with a start, a thin sheet of sweat covering his forehead. He wiped his brows with an equally sweaty palm while struggling to even his frantic breathing. His chest throbbed painfully because of the sudden strain. He closed his eyes again and lay back down, rubbing his sore chest lazily. He could feel something wet beneath his fingertips but he ignored it after a while.

"What the hell…was that all about?" He said breathlessly. The dim lighting of the room reminded him of the dark shadows of the trees in his dreams. Of the black flames. Of…

…a particular rogue ninja.

He sighed heavily.

"Sasuke." He mumbled to himself.

A sudden movement to his left alerted him. He immediately glanced towards the direction. There was a lone figure sitting on one of the hospital chairs situated at the far corner of the room, next to the door. He blinked a few times. Due to the dim lighting in the room, he could not recognize the form. Though he was quite positive it isn't Sakura. It must be Kakashi-_sensei_, Yamato-_taichou_, or…

"Sai? Is that you?" Naruto asked hoarsely, his throat parched and itchy. He needed water.

"…."

No response. '_He must be sleeping then_,' Naruto thought. He swallowed a non-existent spit, feeling extremely thirsty. He glimpsed at the small table next to him looking for water. There is a bottle on it but it's already empty. No choice then. He would have to get it himself, Naruto decided. Feeling his arms and feet still slightly numb, he carefully slid out of his covers. His chest began throbbing painfully again at the movement but he chose to ignore it. '_It couldn't be that serious, right?'_

His feet met the cold floor. He breathed heavily twice before he let go of his hold on the bed. But as he dropped his weight carelessly, his knees buckled and refused to lock. His eyes widened. "Shit." He's falling.

Not.

The next thing he knew his nose is planted on someone's shirt, an arm bracing his side. The shirt smelt of blood and antiseptic. But the body's warm. And it's quite comforting. For a few seconds, Naruto stayed still. Then he chuckled weakly. "Thanks Sai. Perfect timing, eh?"

Slowly, very cautiously, he tried to steady himself. His raised his arms and gripped the other's back for support. Naruto felt the other immediately stiffen.

"Sai?" Naruto looked up. "Hey. Are you—"

The words died in his throat. Even in this badly lit room, he could make out the glaring onyx eyes, the lips pressed in a scowling manner, the hair…

"What the hell are you trying to do?" And then it spoke. That voice. It confirmed everything. Naruto's eyes widened further, mouth gaping like a fish.

"You're bleeding moron." The Uchiha said, looking directly at the stupefied blond. And before Naruto could even utter a word, he was shoved back to the bed, the other's arms still supporting him. "Stay still. I will get the bandages."

"Ba-bandages…?" Naruto repeated dazedly. Reluctantly, he removed his gaze from the Uchiha and looked down at his torso. True enough, blood is starting to seep out from the gauze, creating patches of blood. '_Oh so that's why it felt wet earlier_,' Naruto realized.

He glanced back again at the Uchiha but found that he was no longer there. _'This must be a dream. Or I'm hallucinating. The painkillers. Must be the effect of the painkillers…' _Naruto thought. '_Because there was no way, there was no way in hell that…'_

As quietly as he vanished, the Uchiha came in. Clutched in one hand was a medical kit and in the other's a bottle of water. Sasuke tossed the bottle to Naruto who instinctively caught it.

"Drink first then sit straight." Sasuke instructed, advancing towards Naruto. "I will remove the old bandages."

Though still feeling very doubtful about the whole situation, Naruto followed. _'Not possible. This is so not…'_

One pale hand rested on his bloodied chest. For a few seconds, it stayed there, flat and unmoving. Naruto could feel the heat radiating off the other's palm. Despite his little theory about everything being just a dream or hallucination, Naruto could not help his heart from beating madly in his chest. His face began to heat up as he stared at the pale hand on his chest.

"…Sasuke."

"Shut it." And the hand was gone, the warmth dissipating as well. The Uchiha was now working on unclasping the old gauze. _Like nothing happened. _Naruto felt dejected.

"Tch. Bastard."

There was a pause then—

"…Hn. Idiot."

Naruto blinked at the tone, frozen in his spot. It was an insult… but it sounded different. Almost like…

_Almost like old times._ He felt wistful. There was no hint of malice, of hatred, of anything in the raven's words. Just a plain old insult. It was like back when they were friends.

Thus, despite the earlier dejection, Naruto couldn't help the genuine smile from gracing his lips. He felt… happy.

Above all, he felt immensely hopeful.

_'Damn. __It's a start.'_

(TBC)

* * *

**A/N:**

(1) Quote from Giglio (Japanese Manga by I. Fusanosuke)

(2) Sasuke was talking about the incident (in the manga) where Sakura tried to kill him with a poisoned kunai, but failed.

**EDIT:** (3) Just to clear things up, **Sakura lied**. (Naruto is still alive). She just lied to Sasuke because, well, Sasuke is being  
such an asshole.

*Gasp* So sorry for the extremely long delay and the errors! For compensation, this is a slightly longer chapter.

Again, thank you so much for reading! Reviews are **greatly** appreciated! THANK YOU!


	14. Healing I

_**All we are**_

* * *

**Chapter 14: Healing I**

Naruto could feel his wounds throb beneath the many layers of the gauze as he watched the Uchiha peel the layers one by one. The throbbing was not yet painful but he noticed that the patches of blood were multiplying and growing in size. With a slight frown, he noted that he's bleeding again and felt a sudden onslaught of lightheadedness. He's also feeling incredibly cold—like a wet blanket seeping through the pores of his skin. Lastly, he could feel a growing urge to throw up as a distinctive taste of something metallic crept up his throat and rolled on his tongue. He swallowed hard. _'Blood,'_ he thought vaguely. '_It must be blood.'_

But through all these, his smile remained. Even the warmth in his eyes was very evident. Though there was a mild loss of blood, his heartbeat remained steady and his mind was peaceful. He couldn't deny it. Right now, at this very moment, he's... He's feeling really…

"Wipe that pathetic smile off your face."

_Happy._

And Naruto's smile grew. "I can smile whenever I want, _teme_."

'_Something changed.'_

For the first time in years, Naruto could not feel any measure of spite from the rogue-nin. It was as if everything's back to... normal? Is that still possible now? Briefly, he wondered what changed. What made Sasuke, his rogue teammate, his eternal rival, his traitorous best friend suddenly—?

"Lift up your arms."

Suddenly interrupted in his musings, Naruto gaped. "Eh?" He looked right at the Uchiha's eyes and innocently blinked a few times. "What-?"

"Lift up your arms." Sasuke repeated, his face passive, voice neutral.

Naruto followed but his arms trembled.

"Higher."

With noticeable difficulty, Naruto lifted his arms a bit. His muscles twitched briefly before it gave in and fell at his sides._ 'Not much strength there, obviously.'_ Naruto scowled. It must be because of the lack of movement for so long. He could not even maintain a single posture for a few seconds. Every part of his body felt frail and numb. '_Damn.' _Naruto sighed.

He smiled awkwardly at Sasuke and tried to raise his arms again. But before he could do so, one pale hand encircled both of his wrists and lifted them up.

"Oi…!"

Naruto's eyes widened, his face blushing, as cold fingers coiled around his wrists. '_What the hell!'_

"Bastard, let go. I can raise my arms just fine. This is embarra—!"

"Shut up."

"Teme!"Naruto gritted his teeth. He doesn't even have the strength to resist. This is downright mortifying. All the blood must be rushing to his head as he could feel his face heat up at the skin contact. His face must look hilariously red right now. _'Damn it! __**Why **__is he doing this?'_

As cold as the man himself, Sasuke's fingers felt like ice as they gripped Naruto's wrists to support him. The pale man's grip was firm and almost tight, showing no signs of hesitancy in making skin contact with his "former" teammate—which obviously baffled Naruto even more. And they were also very close with their bodies almost touching.

"Um…"

Naruto gulped at the unbidden proximity. He could hear his heart beating madly in his chest.

At the very moment, he desperately wanted to say something. In his head, there are a million things he wanted to say. That he has been waiting to say if he ever got a chance. But as demented as it is, he couldn't even find the strength to utter a single word. He was speechless. In a complete and utter mental block. Briefly, he wondered if this was the drugs' fault. Whether his brain's inability to function could be attributed to the countless amounts of painkillers injected in his system or, dare he admit it, it's his own. This was his own inability to deal with the truth, to face his own feelings. This was the man he chased for years. He had been willing to give up everything for this man—even his dreams.

Even his life.

_["Beg for me…_

The blond looked away and bit his lower lip, feeling something gripping his heart. Like a fist tightening around his heart, his chest feels quite heavy. Suddenly, it was hard to breathe.

…_to love you back."]_

His mind reeled with an old memory, an old wound refusing to heal. _Feelings_…refusing to be irrelevant.

To distract himself, Naruto focused his line of sight on the dreary walls of the room. The walls were dark-yellowish and some parts are smeared with grime and dry blood. If he wasn't feeling already squeamish, Naruto could have winced at the sight. The floor tiles too were suffering from the same condition – filthy and cracked. Aside from the bed, the chair and the small rusty table, there were no other furniture in the room. He tried looking up the ceiling but felt his neck tense at the slight movement so he gave up. He sighed heavily and bowed his head. There was nothing interesting in this godforsaken room to distract him.

Somewhere in the background, he could hear the soft sounds of water dripping relentlessly. But other than that and his heavy breathing, there were no other sounds in the room. Sasuke's breathing and movements were graceful and silent as ever.

A few more agonizing seconds passed and Sasuke finally released his hands. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and tentatively looked down at his newly-bandaged torso. He expected the clean and precise binding but he still marveled at the sight, unable to stop a smile from spreading on his face. He looked abck at Sasuke; blue eyes filled with warmth and gratitude.

"Hey thanks. I… I really…"

But still no coherent sentences. And a raspy voice. Naruto mentally kicked himself.

"Are you hungry?" Sasuke interrupted, still with that neutral tone. But the voice was kind of lower… softer.

"No I'm cool. I mean, I already ate. Sakura-chan has—"

"Then go to sleep."

"…Eh?"

Before the blond could even respond, the raven retreated and went back to his original position. The Uchiha sat back again and crossed his arms over his chest. Clearly, it was the end of discussion. Naruto could only gape at the other in disbelief, his mouth hanging open.

'_What the hell!'_

"O-Oi, bastard! Stop ordering me around. " Naruto shouted as he rudely pointed a finger towards the other. "I'll sleep whenever I feel like it—whatever time I want! I'm not a kid anymore—

"I don't care what you want, Naruto." Sasuke's baritone voice resounded in the small room. It was low. Like a murmur. His pale lips barely even moved. But even Naruto could hear the tone of finality and warning in those words. "Go back to sleep." He repeated.

Naruto gripped his bed sheets, his knuckles trembling. He could feel his wounds throb again at the force he's clenching the sheets, but he paid no heed to it. He knew the damn prick was right. A swelling migraine was starting to creep up his nape to his temples. His vision began to move abnormally again. He's feeling another onslaught of vertigo. He needed to lie down. But to hell with it. The bastard doesn't have the right to order him like that.

"I'm not sleepy." Naruto lied.

"Then lie down."

"But I'm not tired!"

"That does not matter. Lie down, Naruto." Sasuke looked him directly in the eye. "And stop talking."

_Fine._

"Fine!" And Naruto collapsed on the bed. Fuming. Pouting. His arms crossed over his chest.

"…."

"Fine bastard." Naruto repeated, this time in a softer tone, coupled with a heavy, tired sigh. He stared at the ceiling for a few more minutes before he felt his eyelids dropping. He tried blinking a few times to get rid of the drowsiness but his tired mind remained adamant. It refused to go away. Finally, after a few more seconds of useless attempts to quell his exhaustion, he gave in and closed his tired eyes.

Eventually, he fell asleep…

* * *

Naruto woke up a few hours later mildly confused. _'Where am I?'_ He muttered to himself while his eyes roamed his surroundings. Finding his neck a bit stiff, he gave up trying to look around the unfamiliar room and just stared at the ceiling. Dazedly, he traced the outlines of the cracked, web-infested surface of the ceiling. His vision lingered a bit to the dead light bulb in the room. He's missing something important here, he mused. '_But what is it?'_

While trying to determine where he is, one of his hands playfully stroke the thin material wrapped around his abdomen. The bandages felt dry and smooth and Naruto could only assume that they are new. He fingered one layer, creasing it between his thumb and middle finger. Somewhere in the room, he could smell a faint whiff of antiseptic.

And that's when it hit him.

_Sasuke!_

Forgetting his stiff neck, his head immediately swiveled to the right. He did not even realize that he's holding his breath until he let it go once he saw what he is looking for._'He's still…here.' _Naruto breathed out a sigh of relief. For a few seconds, he could only stare dazedly at the other's figure, as if he could not believe what he is seeing.

"It wasn't… a dream after all."

Soon, a not-so diminutive smile formed on the blond's lips, his eyes unbearably close to twinkling. A feeling of sheer bliss coupled with hope welled up within his system. There were simply no words to describe it. He blinked a few times, desperately trying to quell the tears in his eyes. "Still here." Naruto muttered weakly, his voice still sounding gruff from days of non-use but he doesn't care. At this moment, there was nothing more important than this.

Propping himself up with one elbow, Naruto fixed his line of sight at the imposing figure in front of him. With his eyes closed, the Uchiha appeared to be asleep. His shoulders are slumped a bit making his stance looked more relaxed though his back remained as straight as ever. The man is still leaning against his chair with his head tilted slightly backwards, exposing his neck. Even with slight difficulty, Naruto could make out distinct bruises marring the pale skin of the raven's neck. Those were strangulation marks, the blond observed.

Naruto swallowed hard, the sight making his stomach churn uncomfortably. Aside from the explosion and the fall, Naruto could not recall any assault related to the bruises on the Uchiha's neck. Were they attacked again when they fell down the cliff? What really happened after he lost consciousness? Naruto ran his fingers through his hair, trying to remember any significant detail. But there was nothing more he could remember—and those which he remembered are all like a blur to him. His memories were at best, fragmented.

But he remembered _warmth_. Against the relentless downpour pounding mercilessly on their bodies, Naruto remembered a distinct feeling of warmth. He remembered being distracted by the patches of blood matting the darkened earth beneath him while warm hands gripped his shoulders and shook him violently. He remembered warm arms enclosing him impossibly tight as his world grew darker and colder. The mild feeling of warmth was not enough to sustain a body heat, but it was there. Naruto knew it was there. And he believed in his heart _that it was real._

_It was real._

And Sasuke… _this Sasuke _in front of him was a proof of that. He was free to doubt, to think that everything's just a ruse—that this is all part of some convoluted plan to wreak havoc, but Naruto refused to do so. There's still hope remaining for Sasuke and he'd be damned if he would not take the chance to cling on to that. To cling on to that little hope as long as he can.

Naruto rose unsteadily from the bed. He let his feet dangle from the edge of the bed. To ease the numbness, he rubbed his thighs, putting a little pressure on them. He then shook his legs and tried curling his toes. But it wasn't easy as he thought. For quite some time, his toes refused to budge. He even resorted to glaring at his feet.

"Damn it. Move it, will you!" He waited a few, agonizing, frustrating seconds—before they finally did. One toe twitched a bit, followed by another one then another. It didn't take long before he could curl them all simultaneously. Grinning at his achievement, Naruto gave one final shake to both of his feet before he carefully stepped down the bed.

Thankfully, his knees locked this time and he found himself standing without support for the first time in days. He mentally congratulated himself.

With a slight limp, Naruto paced towards the sitting ninja. His wobbling legs felt like foreign limbs attached to his body and every step he took felt like his first. The cold tiles too of the room weren't providing any respite to his bare feet. They were awfully cold and Naruto could feel every cracked edge and slice of the broken tiles against the soles of his feet. He walked slowly, careful not to step on any sharp edges. He wouldn't want to have another injury now, even if it's just a scratch. Sakura would never let him hear the end of it if he did. Naruto inwardly winced. _An angry Sakura. _He definitely wouldn't want that.

He stopped directly in front of Sasuke, quietly observing him. He leaned forward and tentatively waved his hand in front of the Uchiha's face. There was no response, not even a slight movement. _'Is he even breathing?' _Naruto mused. _'Wait, he really is sleeping.'_ There was a minute pause before a cunning smile lit up the blond's face, his eyes twinkling in pure mischief.

'_Oh goodie.'_

Damn, Naruto thought, this is just too good to pass up. A sleeping, relatively less murderous Uchiha in front of him—at his very mercy. Seriously, when was the last time he played a prank on the Uchiha? That was ages ago, back when they were still genins. His palms grew sweaty at the precious, precious chance presented before him. Naruto could think of a thousand pranks for this one.

He leaned down further to the Uchiha's side, close to the raven's left ear. Sniggering a little, he breathed deeply and counted in his mind. _'3… 2… 1…'_

"Sasuke-kuuuun." Naruto murmured sweetly to the Uchiha's ear. He waited but received no response. Maybe he should turn the volume up, Naruto decided. He swallowed hard and prepared himself to try again. But before he could utter anything, he sensed a slight movement from the rogue-nin. Naruto immediately backed away, stumbling a little in the process. As he straightened his posture, he laid his hand on his chest. He could have sworn he felt a mini-heart attack at that moment.

'_Did I wake him up? Oh shit. I woke him up.' _Naruto panicked. Then, a thought hit him. _'Wait... That was the whole point wasn't it? To wake the bastard up.' _The blond face-palmed at that, feeling the sudden urge to kick himself. _'Stupid, stupid… That was the point!'_ In the middle of berating himself, Naruto heard a faint murmur. His eyes widened a bit and he immediately looked back at the Uchiha.

The raven's stance was still the same. He has not moved at all from his spot. But his face, Naruto observed, seemed slightly contorted. As if in pain. The raven's eyes were tightly shut and there were faint lines evident on his forehead. His brows are creased as if in deep worry. Beads of sweat were starting to form on his temples. Sasuke started murmuring words again. But Naruto could not make out any of the words.

'_Is he… is he having a nightmare?' _Naruto thought apprehensively.

The blond leaned down again and touched the rogue nin's shoulder. "Oi _teme_." Still no reaction. Growing frustrated, Naruto gripped both of the man's shoulders and started shaking his teammate as hard as he could. "Sasuke-bastard, wake up!" The blond shouted.

And that was it.

Sasuke's eyelids shot open, both of his hands automatically latching onto the blond's wrists. He was breathing heavily as he stared directly at Naruto, a wild and surprised look in his eyes. Naruto instinctively recoiled but his hands remained from the other's tight grip.

For a brief moment, none of them spoke. Naruto could only stare back worriedly.

"Hey." The blond muttered softly after a while. "Are you okay? What happened? Were you having a nightmare…?"

The pale man continued to stare at the blond, his body still exhibiting some slight tremors. Naruto waited with bated breath as the confusion slowly receded from the other's countenance. As soon as it did, Sasuke's grip tightened momentarily before it finally slackened. A feeling of mild relief swept over Naruto as his hands were released, but his anxiety was unabated. The blond leaned down again.

"Are you okay now?" Naruto repeated. "Do you want uh, water or something?"

When he still received no reaction, Naruto extended one hand to hold the other's shoulder again. "Hey."

But it was slapped away harshly.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke snapped. He looked positively angry and if Naruto didn't know the man, he could have crumbled at the sight. But the blond remained steadfast. He stared down at Sasuke with equal intensity, refusing to be intimidated.

"What does it look like, bastard? I'm waking you up."

"You're out of your _fucking_ bed."

"Eh. So?" Naruto drew back and straightened his posture. He wanted to show the Uchiha that he can indeed stand on his own. "I'm fine now. I can walk anytime I want."

Sasuke's jaw tightened. With a force, he stood up from his chair and drew to his full height. The chair toppled beneath him and fell to the floor with a thud. Naruto blinked at that. It suddenly occurred to him how tall the Uchiha has indeed become. It was now Sasuke's turn to look down on Naruto and at this very moment, the blond wasn't sure if his inability to move is due to his stubborn defiance… or just fear. If he would just be honest with himself, he'd admit it was the latter.

"Don't test my patience Naruto. Go back to bed now."

Naruto swallowed hard. His head was beginning to throb again and he could feel a dull ache radiating from his chest area and legs. He's actually surprised he's still standing. His knees softened and the muscles in his thighs twitched uncontrollably.

"Naruto." A warning tone. Sasuke pressed forward, closing the gap between them. Their chests are now mere inches apart.

Distracted by the sudden proximity and the dullness in his legs, the blond automatically replied, "Make me, bastard."

_Fool._

Naruto cursed mentally. The words have left his mouth even before he could think. _Damn, he shouldn't have said that. He shouldn't have –_

Cold, pale fingers immediately grasped one of his arms in a bruising hold. The raven started walking, literally dragging him back towards the bed. The sudden movement caused the blond's knees to unlock. He only managed a step before his legs collapsed and his knees hit the floor.

_Ouch._

Mentally wincing at the pain, Naruto rested a palm on the floor and prepared to stand up again. But before he could move, a face suddenly appeared in front of him. The raven has knelt before him; his face etched with… worry? Naruto was genuinely shocked.

'_Is he… seriously worried about me?'_

"Idiot. Are you alright?" Sasuke's breath hit him, their faces dangerously close. The raven's brows were still creased, but this time the blond doubted if it was from anger. His midnight eyes bore deep into Naruto's own as if analyzing him. And they were too close._Much too close._ Naruto blinked and felt the blood rush to his face. His heart pounded furiously. He opened his mouth but no words came out. It was as if his throat closed up and he suddenly couldn't speak. And his chest hurt for some reason.

"Did you bump your head? Are you in pain?" Sasuke asked, now clutching on to Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto could only stare at his teammate and he could have stared longer if they weren't interrupted by a rather loud creaking of the door as it opened, revealing another member of the defunct team.

Sakura walked in with a tray of food—which she nearly dropped when she saw what's in front of her. A toppled chair. Naruto out of bed, kneeling on the floor. And Sasuke gripping said blond's shoulder. The rational part of her brain was telling her that the scenario might have been just an accident and she should not overreact. But the emotional part of her just had to overwhelm everything else.

"Naruto!" She yelled and immediately made her way towards the blond. She settled the tray callously on the floor, spilling some contents of the ramen in the process. Forcing herself between the two ninjas, she wrenched Naruto away. The blond was too stunned to even resist and just let his body be dragged.

When they were a considerable distance away from Sasuke, Sakura examined the blond. Her fingers automatically emitted green chakra as they hovered over Naruto's body. "What happened? Did he… did he do something to you? Is everything okay, Naruto?" The medic-nin asked in one breath, the panic in her voice very palpable.

"Uh everything's fine Sakura-chan. You…uh, Sasuke, he didn't do anything wrong. He was just… helping me. I slipped you see." The blond said, quite thankful he can finally talk. "It was just an accident." Naruto forced a chuckle but it came out more as a whimper.

"You slipped?"

"Uh yeah. I was getting the water then—haha—I kind of slipped."

The medic-nin raised a thin brow. It was an unbelievably lame excuse and it was obvious that she's not buying it. To confirm her suspicion, Sakura glanced at the bed and saw a water bottle next to the pillow.

"Naruto. The bottle's on the bed."

"Ah, there it is!" Naruto chuckled again awkwardly. "You found it. I was searching for it for hours. Thank you! You're really my savior, Sakura-chan!" The blond made an exaggerated move to embrace the medic-nin but the latter drew back. Her lips pressed in a thin line as her emerald eyes glared daggers at the blond.

"Naruto, you _baka_. Do you think I'm stupid? Are you lying to me?"

"NO!" Naruto shook his head vigorously. "I'm not lying, Sakura-chan! Honest." He then looked at Sasuke who is now making his way in one of the corners of the room. The Uchiha leaned casually against a wall and crossed his arms over his chest, clearly indifferent to the whole situation. "Oi come on _teme_. Help me out here, will you. Tell her it's just an accident." Naruto shouted to the other, but his pleas were blatantly ignored. The Uchiha merely watched the two of them.

A vein throbbed in Naruto's temple. _'Damn you teme. I'll get you for this.'_

Sakura warily looked at the raven. As her gaze locked with the Uchiha, she instinctively touched her neck, feeling a sudden surge of dread welled up inside her. Memories of cold fingers gripping her neck and blood-red eyes flashed before her (1). She sucked her breath hard, unconsciously gripping the medical kit fastened on her hip. _'What was that?'_

'_Was that an illusion… or a memory?' _Sakura asked herself, one of her hands still close to her neck. Her fingers have gone extremely cold and it was suddenly harder to breathe. The stifling ambience in the room felt awfully familiar. She has felt this before. But she couldn't really remember when.

She tore her gaze away from the Uchiha.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Eh?" The medic-nin looked back at Naruto. "Why?"

"You look kinda pale, Sakura-chan." The blond observed. With a slight grin, he added. "I told you to stop worrying about me already."

Despite her earlier anxieties, Sakura couldn't help but smile at the childish expression of the blond. "As if, stupid! I'm not worried about you. Don't flatter yourself!"

"Aw Sakura-chan, that hurts!" Naruto whined, acting dejected. It didn't last very long as a smile split his face again when he saw the bowl of ramen beside Sakura. His blue eyes literally glittered in delight as he picked up the tray of food, hands dramatically shaking.

"Wow Sakura-chan! This is… I can't…." Naruto mumbled, trying to find words to express his gratitude. Sakura just shook her head and smiled at him.

"You're welcome, idiot. Just eat slowly, okay? You might choke yourself." The medic-nin instructed as he watched the blond went back to bed. Naruto sat and immediately split his chopsticks in half. He gave the medic-nin a blinding smile before he literally inhaled the appalling noodles. Sakura grimaced at the sight but at the same time, felt something warm bloom in her chest.

'_That smile,' _Sakura mused. She almost lost that smile. It was too close. Naruto almost….

Sakura closed her eyes, willing the horrible thoughts away. She shouldn't dwell on those things anymore. Past is past. She should just focus on and be thankful of the present. She should. But it's hard, she'd admit. Especially with how complicated things are right now.

And how things… _seemed_ to be.

Sakura doubted if the blond has even noticed it but the room has fallen into a deathly silence. Save for Naruto's loud slurping, there were no other sounds in the room. Sakura swallowed a huge lump in her throat as she stood at the bedside awkwardly. She felt awfully misplaced – like she was intruding into something here.

_Like she didn't belong._

The feeling… was very familiar, for some reason.

She gazed furtively back at the Uchiha, careful not to make eye contact. She couldn't explain it but the feeling of fear just won't leave her. Though her memories reveal nothing about the source of this crippling fear, she knew in her heart that something is amiss.

Her musings were cut short when the Uchiha suddenly locked gazes with her. Shocked, Sakura stared back with bated breath, unable to look away. Her knees felt weak and she unconsciously gripped the bed for support.

Sasuke's eyes were black – pure black – and half-lidded as they stared at her. They were unfeeling, cold pools of black.

At that moment, she felt immensely intimidated, terrified even. Sakura gripped the edge of the bed tighter, the sudden urge to run filling her. The room suddenly felt so small.

Sakura could only stare back in fear.

* * *

The room was bathed in shadows. Eyes open, eyes closed—it couldn't have made any difference.

Like most of the quarters in the decrepit medical facility, there was barely any light inside the sealed room. Everything was enveloped in darkness. But Kakashi did not mind it. Even without his eye technique, his heightened senses are enough to make him "see" through the darkness. And sure enough, half a second later, he was able to locate the only occupant inside. Huddled in one corner of the sealed room, the lone figure seemed like he's sleeping.

Sai's eyes were closed and his fisted hands rested on his knees. Due to the very faint lighting in the room, he seemed like a mere shadow leaning against the wall, his dark clothes even more lessening his visibility. The only visible part of the younger man's body was his face, its pallor a stark contrast to the creeping darkness everywhere.

For a few seconds, Kakashi only stared at the ROOT member. On his one hand was a tray of food while the other was shoved deep inside his pocket, casually stroking a kunai. Kakashi's overall stance appeared laidback, seemingly not a care in the world, but what's in his mind is a different story. He was prepared and almost eager for a fight. He knew that the other was no longer sleeping and had sensed him even before he had set foot in the room. Sai's a well-trained ROOT member after all—one of the best actually, under a madman's tutelage.

Minutes stretched and still, neither of them spoke. The ambience was cutting. The air heavy with gripping hostility.

Finally after a few more seconds, one set of pale lips curved upwards. Sai opened his eyes slowly and gazed at the older man. Kakashi noted the dark circles under the pale man's eyes. His pallid cheeks looked sunken as well. Sai looked extremely tired. But then, when he spoke—his voice proved otherwise.

"Why _Sensei._ Are you going to stand there all day?"

The voice was a deep baritone. The words were muttered slowly, in a mocking undertone. Kakashi heaved a deep sigh, leaning his body on one side. He really does not know what to expect from the other but for now, it looked like he still needed to proceed with caution. He can defend himself, yes, but adding another casualty to their team might not be the best idea right now. In addition to that, he's still unsure of what the other might be planning or who is he really working for.

'_First Sasuke, then this… '_It seems like both of these prodigies do have something in common: their questionable loyalties.

Aside from their _temper_, that is.

"I see you've calmed down a bit. Are you going to attack me again?"

Sai's smile grew and his eyes merely closed. "No. I no longer see anything productive there."

The copy-nin's visible eyebrow rose. _Productive?_

"And you consider your previous attempts to maim me _productive_?"

"Hm." Sai merely hummed, his distinctive smile still in place as he stared back at the older ninja. That seems like the only response he's willing to give.

As if expecting the lack of response, Kakashi only nodded to himself and paced towards the sitting ninja. He settled the tray down.

"You should eat." Kakashi intoned.

Sai did not even look down. His unblinking coal eyes stayed on Kakashi's. Though the scathing smile remained on Sai's face, it did nothing to enliven the teen's dead-looking eyes. The eyes appeared too grim, too sullen, punctuated by the dark circles beneath. They do not belong to a living human being, Kakashi deemed. Even this false show of courtesy and amusement failed to alleviate the ROOT member's pitch of delirium. It was such a sad, sad act. It was too forced. Too fake. Too inhuman. And for the briefest moment, Kakashi pitied him.

Kakashi turned around and walked towards the door, ready to activate the seals (2) again. But before he could do so, a low murmur interrupted him.

"How is _he_?"

Kakashi blinked, one hand inches away from the knob. He looked back at the younger ninja.

Facing the other fully, he replied. "He just woke up. He's fine now."

Sai's eyes widened a bit. Then surprisingly, he dropped his smile. "Oh. That's…" As if in a daze, his head lowered a bit, staring at the floor with calmed eyes. "That is good to hear." A relieved sigh passed his lips.

At that moment, Kakashi knew that those were the only words he'd been waiting to hear. The obvious relief on the younger ninja's face underlined how much he needed to hear them.

"You can visit him if you want—"

"Does he know?" Sai interrupted.

It was an out of the blue question and for a moment, Kakashi was rendered speechless. For a moment, the copy-nin was unsure of what the other meant. When he realized, he frowned behind his mask. '_Oh. __**That**__.'_

"He doesn't need to." Kakashi replied after a while.

A scoff. "Really. And why is that?"

"Do you want him to hate you?"

"…."

Sai did not answer. Kakashi was expecting that. That was all the answer he needed actually. He gave Sai one last look before he turned around, ready to leave.

"I almost ended the life… of the one man he's been chasing for years. I think he deserves to know." Sai's voice almost cracked, wavering between arrogance and guilt. The tone was uncharacteristic of him. It sounded foreign, as if it did not belong to the speaker.

Kakashi's fingers gripped the knob. The rusty metal felt rough and cool under his skin.

"_Almost_, Sai-kun. You didn't."

And with that, the copy-nin left. The seams of the entrance glowed as the seals was reactivated. The room lit for a moment as beams of light filled the space. It did not take long before the illumination faded away and darkness overwhelmed everything again.

* * *

_The heavy downpour has receded into a drizzle but the coldness of the evening continued to seep into his bones. From where he stood, the smell of blood was terribly potent, along with that distinctive smell of gunpowder. A shiver ran down his spine and rippled through his veins. It was the familiar feeling of dread but he ignored it. He tried hard to ignore it, but the awful feeling remained in his gut. Sai gripped the brush tighter as he surveyed the area again, looking for any other traces that he could use. Eyes narrowing, he spotted a ravine a few meters away. Slowly, he started walking towards it. When he reached the edge, he peered down…_

_He saw a flash of orange and recognized it instantly._

"_Dickless…"_

_Sai mumbled against his breath. From the background, he vaguely heard someone calling his name but he was already descending._

_As soon as he landed beneath, he could see blood everywhere. Patches of crimson matted the darkened earth, mixing with the puddles of water as they flowed in all directions. Sai felt his insides squirm and his heartbeat pound in his head as he stared at the two motionless figures in front of him._

_The blond was lying on top of the Uchiha. Naruto's head was resting on the raven's chest while Sasuke's arms were wrapped tightly, protectively around him. Their bodies melded perfectly together. Sai swallowed hard, feeling something welled up inside him._

_Both of them were awfully drenched from head to toe. But neither of them was shivering. Naruto's body was very still; his hands lay scattered on the Uchiha's sides. Sai couldn't see the blond's face. From his position, he could only see Sasuke's. It wasn't a good sight, to say the least._

_The rogue ninja lay unmoving as well. His eyes were half-lidded, focused solely on the body on top of him. Blood streamed down from his eyes to his jaw, mixing with the rain as they dripped down slowly from his face. The raven's mouth was slightly parted, lips twisted upwards as if in a smile. Sai moved towards the two forms. His steps were cautious and slow as he thoroughly observed the Uchiha's body. There were no traces of any severe wounds from the raven. Only his cursed eyes seemed to be bleeding, Sai observed._

_He paused for a moment. 'Then that could only mean…!'_

_Forgetting all caution, Sai quickly went to the blond. Up close, he finally realized where all the blood was coming from. The faint whiff of explosives assailed his nostrils once again as he knelt down. He grabbed both of Naruto's sides to turn him around—but the Uchiha's grip was strong. Even in a half-dazed state, the raven refused to let go._

"_Let him go, Uchiha." Sai muttered with gritted teeth. His eyes were wild and looking threateningly at the Uchiha._

"_Sai!" Kakashi shouted from behind him. The ex-ROOT member ignored the call as he gripped Naruto's sides tighter. His gloved hands are now drenched with blood. Naruto's flesh felt so cold._

"_I said…" An ink beast with the shape of a snake formed and swirled around Sai's arm. It twisted menacingly before it crawled down his hand and went directly to the Uchiha's neck. "Let him go."_

_Sasuke did not even blink as the ink-beast wrapped itself dangerously around his neck. Veins began to protrude from his skin as the snake coiled itself tightly around his neck, choking him. There were no sounds, no movement at all from the Uchiha. It was as if he's trapped in his own little world, unaware of everything in reality. And he's still refusing to let go of the blond, his grip brutally tight—which aggravated Sai even more._

"_SAI!" Kakashi shouted again but he was still ignored. Things are getting out of hand real fast and he needed to do something. Forming hand seals, the copy-nin directed his chakra on the pool of water close to Sai._

_A puddle of mud hit Sai squarely at the chest, sending him a few feet backwards. The sudden impact made Sai lose his control on the ink-beast. The beast writhed and squirmed until it faded away entirely, leaving blots of ink on the Uchiha's pale skin._

_But Sai was unyielding._

_Regaining his composure quickly, Sai grabbed his brush and scribbled forms on a blank scroll. Ink-beasts emerge from the scroll and raced straight at the Uchiha, aiming to kill. But before they could reach, mounds of wood formed and covered the two lying figures. The beasts rammed against the wood, the brutal force of the collision effectively wiping them out._

_Relieved, Kakashi nodded to Yamato as the latter joined them. Both of the captains exchange quick glances of disbelief – unable to fully grasp what had transpired in front of them. It was just pure luck they got there on time. The copy-nin then turned his attention to the ex-ROOT member, his stance prepared for a fight. Sai's shoulders were very rigid, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. His dark eyes were shadowed. Every inch of the younger ninja's body was screaming with hostility._

"_Sai-kun. Do you know what you've almost done?" Yamato asked, incredulity palpable in his voice._

"…_."_

_A mute response. Yamato looked at Kakashi worriedly. In turn, Kakashi gave the captain an equally stern look._

_The rain was still pouring on them but now, it had become just a droning sound. No one paid heed to it anymore. Even the bone-chilling coolness of the evening was no longer felt. Blood continued to flow—the rivulets streaming across the earth and collecting into muddy puddles._

"_It's Naruto… He's…" Sai finally said, the words uttered in a seemingly resigned tone. His shoulders sagged dramatically, fists still clenched tightly. Sai's knees buried themselves deeper into the earth as the raindrops softened the ground._

* * *

In the days that followed, Naruto went through the same routine. He'll wake up to find Sakura beside him, peeling apples or any other fruit he cannot identify, but will gratefully eat anyway. The medic-nin will always be the first one to wake up, with breakfast or lunch food already prepared – for which the blond was infinitely grateful. He loved waking up to this and never missed a day informing Sakura about that. And the medic-nin would smack him slightly at the head, or smile at him, or do both saying that they are teammates and friends. Friends do this for each other. And the blond would smile broadly back, tears welling up in his eyes, and his heart filled up with happiness.

In the middle of the day, it would be either Kakashi or Yamato. Someone has to secure the perimeters of the facility everyday so the two captains visit alternately. In the beginning, Naruto had wondered about the whereabouts of Sai. Since the attack, the blond had never seen the pale man and he has been worried. The two captains looked at each other briefly before the copy-nin told the blond that Danzo summoned Sai for reasons unknown and he would not be back for a few more days. Naruto frowned at the answer but said nothing more.

At night, it would be Sasuke's turn to "guard" him. The Uchiha would always remain in the farthest corner of the room, as if the blond has some kind of an infectious disease. Naruto has never questioned why Sasuke was there. There had been no reason to. He's just thankful that he is. Every night, the Uchiha would be there with him, brooding in one corner of the room. And Naruto would feel relieved.

Always, the blond would initiate a conversation, and the raven would not even utter a word. Not even a nod or a characteristic 'hn'. There would be no responses and though it was a little disheartening, Naruto never gave up and would always continue the one-sided conversation. He will talk and talk for hours, discussing things like trainings and missions. He'd patiently wait for any kind of reply or reaction… but there would be nothing. _Nothing _at all from the rogue-nin.

With the Uchiha, it would always be too quiet. Naruto would curse it in his head, and every time he sleeps he would feel a little bit disappointed. But then, he always promised himself that he'll try again the next day. And that he did. Every night, he would coax the Uchiha to say anything. He even resorted to insulting him again. But all of his efforts were in vain.

All he ever received was a blank, dull look and awkward silence.

It was in the fifth night when the routine was finally broken off.

It was due to a mistake. A huge one, actually. The slip-up was truly unintentional but it was uttered nonetheless – and the blond would give anything to take it back. As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt his whole world came into a crashing halt.

"_Damn it, Sasuke. Are you really just going to sit there and ignore me? Why are you such a stubborn jerk? I don't know why I even confessed to you, bastard. What did I ever see in you? You're such an ass—!"_

That was, undisputedly, one of the worst mistakes of his life.

Naruto slumped dejectedly into the bed. As he stared at the ceiling in frustration, he stroked the thin material covering his torso. He could no longer feel anything from his wounds but there was a heavier feeling in his chest that just won't go away. He sighed heavily and shut his eyes.

They have never talked about this, really. _The confession _(2)_._ And Naruto has never intended to bring up the topic ever again but his impulsiveness got the better of him. As usual, he let his hyperactive mouth wreaked some havoc again. _Damn it, _he should have been more cautious with his words. Their relationship had never been tolerant and Naruto wondered why he never learns.

After he said those regrettable words, Sasuke finally looked him in the eye. Naruto's face was beet red but he didn't look away – can't. He waited for the Uchiha to say something, but at the same time wished that he wouldn't, wished that he'd just ignore the obvious slip-up.

'_Come on teme, you ignore me most of the time. Ignore this one too.' _The blond prayed fervently in his head.

_But all his hopes were crashed when Sasuke pinned him with a glare. The change was instantaneous. Naruto gulped uneasily as the usual indifferent look has abruptly morphed into something so... so ireful. The air in the room suddenly felt so stifling._

_It felt like an eternity before Sasuke tore his gaze away. He placed his hands on his knees, stood up… and left the room. He didn't even say anything and Naruto was left staring at the closed door with wide eyes— totally speechless. The blond stayed like that for quite some time before he finally processed what had happened._

_The Uchiha has left._

_Naruto cursed loudly and buried his face in his hands._

_He didn't sleep that night. _

The Uchiha had never visited him again. Three nights have already passed since the "incident".

Every night, Naruto would wait for the Uchiha to show up. He would wait patiently for him, glancing at the door every minute or so. Sometimes, he would pace around the small room to exercise his legs. If his body was feeling fine, he would execute some simple _taijutsus_ for training. He'd do so quietly and very carefully, less Sakura would know and she will kill him for sure. After he tired his body out, he'll sit back on the bed and stare at the door. He would be like that for hours.

He'd imagine Sasuke coming in – typically brooding. They won't exchange any pleasantries. Sasuke would just sit in the corner like he used to. There will be a long minute of awkward silence, then Naruto will talk. It doesn't matter if the Uchiha was interested to hear whatever he's going to say. Naruto would talk anyway –he'll explain and maybe if he is feeling a bit generous, he'd apologize. There would be no responses for sure, but Naruto would not mind it. It would be alright, Naruto mused, as long as _he's _here.

_As long as he's here._

But it never happened. The Uchiha never came back.

And the niggling worry and guilt in his head would multiply tenfold. For three nights, Naruto has barely slept at all.

In the fourth day, he finally had it.

Tired of all the anxieties plaguing his mind, Naruto decided to face the problem himself. Waiting obviously doesn't cut it anymore. He should be the one to initiate action, since he's the one at fault.

He decided to go to Sasuke himself. And it doesn't matter whether the raven would like it or not—Naruto will make sure that they will talk. They will sort this out.

He put on one of the jackets Sakura gave him and went out of the room. Expectedly, the hallway was much darker than his room, and much colder too. Hugging his jacket closer, he placed one hand against the wall for extra support. This was to ensure that he won't get lost as well. In the three weeks that he has been confined in the facility, he has never walked out of his room alone. He would always be accompanied by either Sakura or Kakashi. They would tour him around the place whenever he is feeling extremely bored.

But now, after half an hour of walking mindlessly, Naruto has no idea where he is. He sighed heavily and leaned against the wall, feeling exhaustion starting to creep in. A few seconds passed and he felt a familiar chakra approaching him. The blond smiled.

"You're going the wrong way, Naruto."

Naruto chuckled. "Kaka-sensei, you're awake. Sorry, did I wake you up?" The blond brought one hand to scratch the back of his head. "And… how do you know I'm going the wrong way? You don't know where I'm going."

The copy-nin merely fixed him a knowing look. "I have an idea, actually."

"Really?"

"_He's_ outside, Naruto." Kakashi noted the surprised look and a faint blush that graced the blond's features. He grinned behind his mask and pointed to the opposite direction. "The right way's there. Just walk straight and turn left when you reach the corner. There would be a staircase in front of you. Ignore it. The door beneath the stairs will lead you outside."

Naruto blinked a few times, amazed at the keen perception of his instructor. He shouldn't have been surprised actually. The copy-nin is known as a genius after all. "Oh. Well, uh, that's very helpful… But aren't you going to stop me?"

"You've been asking about him non-stop for days, Naruto. You should see him." Kakashi brought his orange book out. He turned around and started walking. "I think it will also do you good to go outside to breathe some fresh air. Be careful though."

Naruto watched the retreating figure of the copy-nin."Got it! Thanks a lot, Kakashi-_sensei_." The blond mumbled against the darkness.

He got a wave for a response.

* * *

Naruto shivered as a cool lash of wind hit him on the face as he stepped outside. If it was cold inside the facility, then it was arctic outside. His clothes suddenly felt too thin. It was also very dark. He could only see the silhouettes of trees that lined the area. It must have been raining frequently for there were no stars at all adorning the skies. The moon too was barely visible as thick, dark-gray clouds hid it from view.

The blond walked a few more steps. He felt a wave of strong chakra closed in. He smiled despite the tension swelling in his gut.

'_There you are.'_

Sasuke landed rather loudly a few feet in front of him.

"What are you doing?" The Uchiha muttered angrily in one breath. For the briefest moment, Naruto stood rigid. He was a little surprised at the somewhat hostile greeting. '_Maybe this isn't a good idea.'_ He swallowed hard, and tentatively took a step forward.

"I… I wanted to talk to you."

"We have nothing to talk about, Naruto. Go back inside." Came the curt reply.

"Yes we do, Sasuke." Before the raven could retort again, Naruto raised both of his hands, flailing them in front of his face in emphasis. "What I said before – I didn't mean it, okay! It's just that… the words came out. I wasn't even thinking. I was just mad and well… you know what happens when I'm like that. So, uh…"

Naruto gulped, feeling the sudden dryness in his throat. Even his lips felt awfully dry. He knew the explanation sounded so lame but he hoped the Uchiha caught the sincerity in it.

"Just forget about it, okay." Naruto said, looking directly at the other.

Sasuke looked away. "I don't care about that."

Naruto was struck dumb by that comment. "Oh." Then his forehead creased. _Wait._

"What? Then… then why are you suddenly ignoring me? You're not visiting anymore. And that night, you suddenly took off. You looked angry. You were… glowering at me. What gives, huh? What did I do?"

Even with the dimness of the surroundings, the blond caught the clenching of the other's hands. Sasuke's stance grew rigid. "I don't need to explain anything to you, Naruto." The voice was low – too low. Naruto recognized the hint of warning in the tone, telling him to back the hell off and stop prying.

But the blond remained foolishly adamant.

"Look, _teme._" Naruto started, closing the remaining gap between them. "I came here to explain and I don't care whether you want to listen or not. I just want to… to clear things between us."

'_I'm making an effort here bastard, so you should too.' _Was the underlying theme but of course, he wouldn't be able to say that.

Naruto breathed deeply, as if mustering courage. His chest shook a bit, whether from the apprehension or the cold of the evening he really doesn't know. Though the gap between them has lessened, with barely a foot separating them now, Naruto's gaze was far away. For some reason, he couldn't look at the Uchiha anymore.

"I, well, **we **have a lot of things to sort out really."

"We have nothing to sort out—"

Sasuke's voice was cold and hard. Naruto shook his head a bit.

"Stop that, _teme._ You know what I'm talking about."

"…."

"What I said back in the room – I really don't mean it. Yeah, you're an asshole. That was true. But I never hated you. I never doubted my feelings… for you. That's why when I told you that, I… (3). Well, that was…" Naruto gnawed at his lower lip, inwardly debating if he would continue or not. After a brief moment, he inhaled deeply again. A faint blush tainted his cheeks as he slowly looked back at Sasuke.

"That was real. I meant it."

'_Every word. I meant every word I said back then.'_

Naruto then shut his eyes. He wouldn't dare look at Sasuke's expression now. Opening his eyes slowly, he just stared down at his feet. The sharp blades of the grasses were tickling his bare ankles and he could feel the cool dews from the grasses' tip dripping down his feet.

There was no response so he continued, "But that's not important anymore, right? Well it never is, really. Those are just… I mean, let's just put that behind us." There was a pause. Naruto tried to search for more appropriate words to say. "What I mean is – this friendship is more important. I want us to remain friends, Sasuke."

_Friends._

"…."

For what seemed like an eternity, Naruto waited for a reply. In the background, he could hear the soft chirping of crickets, punctuated now and then by the faint murmurs of the cold wind. To relieve the dryness of his mouth, Naruto passed his tongue in the seams of his cracked lips. He could feel beads of sweat forming below his nose and resisted the urge to wipe them away.

Finally, after a long while, Sasuke replied, his tone as unfeeling as ever.

"We are no longer friends, Naruto." The tone was gripped with finality and Naruto did not need to look up to see that the other's face was devoid of anything when he said that. "And we'll never be friends again. Keep that in mind."

Naruto's jaw tightened. Somehow he expected this but that does not mean he'd accept it.

'_No. Just...no.'_

"Y-You're lying." The blond spat. One hand flew to the zipper of his jacket and unfastened it, revealing a bandaged torso. He gripped Sasuke's shoulder while his other hand stayed at his chest. "If we're no longer friends, then why do this huh? Why bother treating my wounds? Why do you stay at my room every night? If you don't... care. If we're not friends anymore. Then why, Sasuke?"

'_Why?'_

"…!"

The movement was fast…

…and too unexpected that it took Naruto exactly five seconds to register what's happening. Apparently five seconds was too long, and Naruto did not even have the chance to react as the long fingers that gripped his collar tightened, and his face was pressed more against the cold skin of the Uchiha. There was no longer any gap between them. Sasuke's lips were touching one corner of his mouth. Vaguely, Naruto noted that the lips were as cool as his skin. They were slightly cracked too, but they felt smooth.

"I… hate you."

The words were mumbled against the blond's lips. Naruto felt the warmth of the raven's breath linger on his skin, before the words finally settled in his mind. And when it did, a familiar ache rippled across his chest.

_I hate you._

Somehow he knew. Somehow he expected this. But it did not lessen the blow. The impact was just as hard.

"Isn't this what you want, Naruto?" Sasuke whispered, his lips thrumming against Naruto's own. Their lips are brushing against each other…

…_but it would be cruel to call it a kiss._

Utterly cruel to regard it so. Because it wasn't. And Naruto was painfully aware of this.

Sasuke's other hand cupped the side of Naruto's jaw, the pad of his thumb slowly tracing the blond's whiskered cheek.

"_**This**_ is what you want." Sasuke stated, no hint of doubt or emotion in his voice.

Then, the Uchiha pulled back slightly, meeting Naruto's gaze.

"No..." Mouthed. Naruto pleaded, unable to voice it.

The Uchiha ignored it. "This is what you want." Sasuke repeated. He let go of his grip on the blond's collar and used both of his hands to hold the blond's face.

This time, Sasuke kissed him fully, his lips pressing hard against the blond.

It was then, at that very moment… that Naruto cried.

(TBC)

* * *

**NOTES:**

"Healing" has two parts. This is quite a long chapter (whew) so I divided it into two. This is the first part. I will try to upload the second part as soon as I can. I know, Sasuke is still cruel but it'll change, don't worry. Bit by bit.

(1) Sasuke erased Sakura's memories regarding his assault on her (Chap.13) so there would be no repercussions. Thus, Sakura's feelings of fear of Sasuke stems from that. But she couldn't remember it.

(2) It was seals to lock the room. Sai kind of did something for him to deserve temporary confinement. It's in the flashback scenes. (It's kind of confusing, so if you have queries, don't hesitate to ask.)

(3) The infamous confession = Chapter 8

Thank you! I apologize for the delay and as always, reviews are not required but they are greatly, greatly appreciated. Thank you again!


	15. Healing II

_**All we**_ ever_** are**_

* * *

**Chapter 15: Healing II**

Sasuke's cold lips did not move. They remained pressed on one corner of Naruto's mouth. Almost like an innocent kiss. But Naruto wouldn't dare call it a kiss. It was a mere friction of skin, a grazing of lips, unsullied by any hint of emotions. There were no feelings at all._ Like it was all done on a mere whim. _It was mocking. It was cruel, and Naruto's heart clenched painfully inside his chest.

_[This is what you want.]_

It was then at that very moment… that Naruto cried.

His tears flowed freely down his face. Hot streams of liquid raced down his face. As the Uchiha's cold lips pressed further to his own, Naruto wept silently. For the life of him, he couldn't stop those tears from falling. _'Weak,'_ he berated himself._ 'So, so weak.'_

After a few seconds, the Uchiha pulled away slowly, and his hold on the other's face softened. Dark eyes regarded Naruto for a while before the cold hands finally let go of the blond's face.

Then, in a deep voice devoid of anything, the raven spoke. "Happy?"

Naruto blinked once. He swallowed hard.

"_Ha-ppy?"_

Something twisted uncomfortably in his gut. _'Damn.'_

He knew it. He was right. It was all in a mere whim.

It was a mockery and it stabbed through his heart like a blunt razor. The ache spread across his chest like the blood clot of a wound. It felt like his chest was being cut open. _It hurt_. It hurt a lot.

Teeth clenching behind his lips, Naruto remained very still. He couldn't even find the strength to retort or to say anything. He just stood there dumbfounded and stared right back at Sasuke. His eyes, which were filled with resolve and defiance earlier, were now being overwhelmed with a mixture of hurt, disbelief and shame.

_shame-shame-shame_

Neither spoke for quite a long time. They have fallen into the realm of silence again, and the various noises of the forest had been reduced into a droning sound. A sliver of cool wind breezed through them. With his jacket still open, Naruto shivered a bit.

"Get back inside." The raven commanded again, his voice louder this time.

Naruto remained unmoving, his gaze still fixed on Sasuke. The blond's face was still shamelessly soaked with tears, but he did not bother to wipe them away.

The raven's eyes narrowed. Impatience laced his voice. "Naruto."

It was then that Naruto finally tore his gaze away from the other. Slowly, he bowed his head a bit and closed his eyes.

"!"

Then, without any warning, a closed fist jabbed out directly and collided with the Uchiha's face. There was an audible crack and Naruto felt a tingling sensation spread through his knuckles as he withdrew his fist. He had put everything on that single blow and he felt a little pleased when Sasuke's head was forcibly tilted back. It was worth the dull ache shooting through his arm. The blond gave a self-satisfied grin.

Not waiting for any reaction, Naruto prepared to strike again. He raised one knee to connect to the raven's gut. As expected, Sasuke blocked it with ease and pushed the offending limb away. Naruto lost his balance a little and stumbled a few steps backwards.

"What the hell-?" The raven ground out. He looked positively livid, flecks of red beginning to taint the obsidian eyes.

But Naruto was undaunted. He pushed the ground with his feet as hard as he could and charged at the rogue-nin with full force. He raised his leg, aiming to strike the Uchiha's side. But it failed to connect as Sasuke vanished in his line of sight. A split-second later and Naruto felt a rush of wind against his nape. The Uchiha reversed their position and appeared behind him.

Having no time to pivot, the blond just waited for the blow. But it never came. Instead, an arm suddenly wound around his body. The arm weighed down on his chest, holding the blond firmly in place. Naruto hardened his shoulders and elbowed his captor, trying to push the other away, but Sasuke's grip was strong. With one hand gripping Naruto's shoulder, Sasuke pulled Naruto closer to his body, effectively ceasing all his struggles.

With his back pressed against the raven's chest, Naruto could distinctly feel the thrum of the other's harried breathing but he did not dare turn around to look at his rival's face.

"You." Naruto felt the other's warm breaths graze the back of his neck. He fought the urge to shudder.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Sasuke's tone was threatening, voice deep and crisp. "Do you have a death wish, you _fool_?"

_[Isn't this what you want?]_

There was a brief moment of silence before the blond gave a low chuckle. "Come on, bastard. It's just a spar." Naruto retorted innocently, his voice still raspy. "We haven't sparred in ages, have we? This is a pretty cool warm-up, you know."

The blond lifted one hand and grasped the restraining arm on his chest. He felt the arm immediately tense up under his touch, but he ignored it as he tried to remove the limb from his body. But it was useless. The grip remained stubborn. Sasuke's hold on his body tightened even more. Naruto frowned a bit.

"Now _teme_, don't be a prick and let's just continue with it."

Sasuke hissed. The raven's fist began to shake. Naruto can sense the intensifying anger; the warning in every breath, in every movement. "In case you haven't noticed, you're injured, you moron." The raven's voice grew deeper, much more threatening.

"Oh come on. It's already healed." Naruto replied, ignoring the threat that gripped the other's tone. He brought up his sleeves and wiped the wetness on his face. Then he turned around to face the other. Predictably, he was met by incensed pools of black. Sasuke was glaring right at him, pallid lips pursed thinly. The rogue-nin was obviously displeased.

But despite the palpable tension, the grin on Naruto's face merely grew. He smiled immensely at his teammate. The raven's eyes widened and he looked stunned for a moment. Gradually, Sasuke lowered his arm… until he let go completely.

"So, bastard." Naruto started again. Once Sasuke let go, the blond moved away. He laced his hands behind his head and casually asked. "Same time tomorrow?"

"…." No response. Naruto expected that.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Naruto mumbled, still grinning. But the smile was strained, and the fervor did not even reach his eyes. The blond patted the raven's shoulder gently. "So uh, good night then."

Naruto gave his teammate one last look before making his way back to the facility.

As soon as he turned his back, the smile dropped. It was as if it was never there. His face dropped, his eyes thinning. His chest throbbed maddeningly, the familiar crushing ache settling again. Everything felt sore and heavy as he dragged his feet. His steps were sluggish and his shoulders slumped.

Naruto clutched his chest; his sweaty palm gripping the thin layers of the gauze. He wanted to rip the bandages off.

_[We're no longer friends.]_

"I…"

Something burned in his eyes. Naruto pressed the heel of his palm hard against his sockets, ceasing all the tears from falling. It didn't work as he felt something warm and moist dripped down his chin…

A cold gust of wind passed him again, but this time, Naruto did not even feel it.

He closed the door silently.

* * *

By morning Naruto slipped out of his room again.

It was still too early, but he decided that he'll get up earlier than his medic-nin teammate. He needed to go out before Sakura woke up. He's certain that she would still refuse to let him go outside. Sakura can be very adamant when it comes to matters of health and injuries.

It had already been three weeks since the incident, and the blond's wounds were barely healed. It was disconcerting to say the least. Every day, Sakura looked at him with a face etched with worry and concern. It was as if a crease has lodged itself permanently between her brows, much like the dark circles beneath her eyes. And Naruto's heart would clench painfully at the sight. He doesn't want to see her like that. He wanted to prove to her that he can recover – that he'd heal. And what better way to recuperate than breathing in some fresh air and doing some physical exercises out in the sun.

Stepping out of the entrance, he shivered as a cool gust of wind lashed on his face. The cool, fresh scent of the morning air assailed his nostrils. A smile graced his lips. He loved mornings.

Naruto closed his eyes tight and stretched his hands above his head. He let out a deep, reverberating yawn as he arched his back and craned his neck backward, trying to work out the kinks in his neck and ease his back muscles. He reveled at the sound of bones snapping at the strain. He shook his legs alternately and squeezed his toes. Once he relieved the numbness in his legs, he jumped a few times, shifting his weight alternately between his feet. He balled his fists and did some punching motions in the air. He felt his whole body warm up. _Ah, morning workout._

He stopped when he sensed a familiar chakra approaching. It loomed ominously behind him, but Naruto did not turn around to acknowledge his rival's presence. He continued his routine exercises for a few more minutes, then—

Naruto suddenly appeared in front of Sasuke, one leg already raised to deliver a kick. The raven did not even blink. Sasuke dodged the attack easily. The blond leapt again through the air and returned with a swift kick to the other side. This time, Sasuke didn't dodge it and instead, caught Naruto's leg and whirled it around before letting it go.

Naruto was tossed to one side. He felt the burst of wind whipping through his face as he flew speedily through the air. Once he got his bearings back, he repositioned his body mid-air to land on his feet. As soon as his feet met the ground, Naruto lunged forward again and attacked the raven with full force. Pursuit was not one of his strong points and compared to Sasuke, he knew that he's much slower. But that did not stop him from relentlessly charging and pummeling the other with random martial techniques.

The raven remained passive though. Sasuke merely avoided all his blows with an alarming precision, and though Naruto knew he has many openings in his attacks, the raven did not take the offensive. He just avoided all of the blond's hits.

In the past, this would certainly not sit well with Naruto. He would've lashed out at the unfair treatment. He hated not being taken seriously, most especially during fights. But now, he just wanted to move, to feel his muscles straining inside his skin.

Minutes passed and he still couldn't land a single blow. The rogue-nin was too damn fast. Naruto gritted his teeth. He continued attacking, pursuing. And every time he was so close to making a hit, the raven would cleanly dodge it or vanish into thin air, appearing a split-second later at random points near him.

An hour later, Naruto was breathing heavily, dripping with sweat. A few layers of his bandages have started to shed. He could feel his wounds throbbing heatedly beneath the gauze. His knees wobbled beneath him. His shoulders sagged with the sudden heaviness of his arms. It felt like every limb of his body would fall off. He felt so drained. He had pushed his body so hard. If Sakura learned of this, she would surely kill him… very slowly.

But Naruto remained stubborn. He wasn't finished yet. _'Just one punch,' _Naruto pleaded in his head, _'just one.'_

Breathing heavily once, Naruto charged again. He pulled a fist and aimed directly at the Uchiha's head. But before he could even reach halfway, the Uchiha had side-stepped. One pale hand grabbed his wrist while the other crossed his chest, pressing down hard to his opposite shoulder.

"Stop." The raven commanded calmly. The tone wasn't angry or patronizing. It was a simple command. Sasuke's voice was almost gentle.

_Almost._

The blond attempted moving but the extra weights on his body have made it impossible to even struggle.

He was so _damn_ tired. His knees tottered beneath him. He knew that if Sasuke let go, he'd collapse in a shameful heap on the ground. Worst case scenario: Sasuke would just leave him lying there. The blond wouldn't be able to walk and he would have to crawl back to the facility. Good luck on trying to explain that to Sakura – who would most likely disregard his explanations and just strapped him to the bed, like what she did in the past. Naruto inwardly winced at the memory.

So, despite the turmoil in his head and his crushed pride, Naruto relented, and just let his body sag against the other. He didn't have much choice really. He was going to fall either way. He breathed deeply a few times, trying to steady his breathing.

"Bas…tard." Naruto muttered weakly.

Slowly, he lowered his forehead to rest on the Uchiha's shoulder, and for some odd, unfathomable reason, Sasuke let him. The raven did not move, both of his hands still attached to Naruto's.

The blond watched, in mild fascination, the slow rising and falling of the Uchiha's chest. Sasuke's breathing was calm. The rhythm was soothing, almost lulling him to sleep. Through his clothes, Naruto could feel the warmth radiating off of the other's body, and the raven smelled vaguely of rain. Of the fresh dews in the morning. It was a familiar, endearing kind of scent.

Neither moved for a very long time. Both of them just stood there, in the middle of the field, silent and unmoving – uncaring of the world around them. Soon, Naruto felt his eyelids drooping. He closed his eyes and dazedly nuzzled deeper into the raven's shoulder. Warning bells tolled at the back of his head, but Naruto ignored it. He ignored everything – because at this very moment, nothing else mattered. He's so exhausted and he just wanted to sleep. And here, slumped shamelessly on his rival's shoulder, he felt at peace. Everything felt so comforting. _So right._

_So wrong-wrong-wrong. But__** right**__._

Unconsciously, the blond pressed his face more into the raven's chest, clinging on to the heat.

"Idiot."The raven spoke softly.

Naruto didn't register the word in his head, but he smiled as he finally fell asleep.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke had not slept for days.

For a while now, the rogue-nin had been living off of soldier pills. This was the only way he could regain his strength and the limited chakra boost. This wasn't really something new. He had experienced this countless of times. But lately, it was becoming more troublesome. He needed to sleep but every time he closed his eyes, nightmares would plague him ceaselessly – showing him lurid visions that seemed more _real_ than reality, more gripping and unforgiving than his tragic memories.

All of the feelings he left buried, all the thoughts he refused to acknowledge, all the people he betrayed would haunt him in his dreams, torturing him, afflicting pain in ways unimaginable – effectively eating away the last pieces of his sanity.

Every time. Every _single_ time he closed his eyes, his _demons_ would leave him even more broken and shattered.

"You love me, huh?" The raven murmured close to Naruto's ear. His other hand had long since let go of the blond's wrist and is now buried into younger man's scalp, gently combing through the blond locks. "You love…_someone_ like me."

'_How could you even…?'_

The pale hand traveled down the sleeping man's cheek, over to his jaw line, then finally resting on the man's throat. Long fingers encircled the blond's neck. He could feel the veins pulsing beneath his fingers, the warmth of the skin, the faint, steady heartbeats. The blond's neck felt so thin in his grasp, so brittle. He could snap it so easily. Just one half-grip,and he'd hear the bone crack between his fingers. He could take away this _monster's_ life. The life of the _Kyuubi_ literally at his fingertips. He could end everything here. _End it all._

He'd never felt so powerful.

_[I want us to remain friends, Sasuke.]_

But despite the demons in his head, the hold remained gentle, the pale fingers merely ghosting over the slim expanse of the tan neck. Never tightening. The raven's holding his teammate like he was made of glass. So unbearably fragile.

"Someday," Sasuke whispered brokenly, his lips grazing the blond's temple. "I will _kill you."_

"I will be the one...to **end** you."

A sliver of cold wind breezed through them. The sun had already risen, but the skies were dark and the air felt heavy. It's going to rain again.

The rogue-nin closed his eyes and pulled the sleeping man closer to his body. He could feel Naruto's warm breaths grazing his neck. The blond looked so peaceful, so trusting. Sasuke stayed like that for a few minutes before he scooped Naruto up in his arms and started walking back towards the facility.

...

Once inside the blond's room, the raven placed the sleeping man carefully on the bed. Naruto did not even stir and instead sunk further into the tattered sheets. The raven brought the only chair in the room closer to the bed and sat on it. Crossing his arms over his chest, his gaze never left his sleeping teammate. Then, as if lulled by the even breathing of the other, the raven's eyelids felt heavy. He realized just how tired he really is when he didn't try to fight the drowsiness anymore. Nightmares would consume him again, but at this moment, he doesn't care.

He leaned back tiredly against his chair. For a while, he watched his teammate, transfixed at the steady rise and fall of the other's chest, the few strands of hair clinging on to the tan face, and the small, unconscious movements, unknowingly engrossed in every detail, without really knowing or understanding why. He continued to watch until sleep finally crept upon him.

And for the first time in a very long time, Uchiha Sasuke dreamed of nothing. This time, there were no miserable images to haunt him, no appalling visions or tragic memories to break him. In his dreams, he could see nothing. He was in a void, a comforting state of emptiness – away from all his regrets and faults, away from his fears and doubts. Just pure, endless black surrounding him – and nothing else.

_Finally._

_**Finally…**_

Here in this room, with his rival, with his _**only**_ hold on sanity, Uchiha Sasuke drifted into a dreamless sleep; his mind finally feeling… a little semblance of peace.

_-trapped in his own pitch of delirium. In the only peace he has ever known._

"_I hate you…_

_I _**hate**_ you... but I cannot let you go."_

-I will **not** let you go.

* * *

Haruno Sakura had not expected this.

Holding a tray with both hands, she closed the door with her hip and stepped further into the room. She proceeded in a daze, her eyes focused on the two people in front of her.

Her blond teammate was still sleeping, curled up dangerously close to the edge of the bed. While her other teammate – _ex_-teammate – was sitting very close to the bed, seemingly asleep as well. Both were facing each other. Normally, Sasuke would be at the farthest end of the room. Needless to say, it was not a common sight and for a moment, she didn't know what to do.

Slowly approaching the bed, Sakura glanced warily at the raven. Even in his sleep, Sasuke's posture remained impeccably straight, his head only slightly lowered, pale face entirely visible. There were no unnecessary or slight movements. Even his breathing was barely distinguishable. The man was like a statue. And despite the seemingly vulnerable state of the rogue-nin, Sakura still can't help but feel a little intimidated by the other's presence. She tore her gaze away and opted to focus on her other teammate.

With one leg already half-dangling from the edge of the bed, it wouldn't be too long before the blond fell off the bed himself. "Stupid." Sakura muttered endearingly while she placed the tray on the table and pushed the blond back to the center of the bed. As their skin made contact however, she noticed that Naruto's felt hot. She touched the blond's forehead with her palm and winced at the feverish feel.

"A fever?"

She swallowed thickly. She had long since predicted that this might happen. A fever or an increase in body temperature such as this normally occurs after a severe trauma. This is one of the human body's defensive mechanisms against infections. But how long the fever will last, she honestly doesn't know.

There's also the problem of their dwindling food and medicinal supplies. They were in the middle of nowhere, far from the main villages where they could get their provisions. They could have one of them acquire the supplies elsewhere but that would be a tad suicidal, since all of them were now considered missing ninjas, and thus are targeted by every ninja village in existence. Sakura shook her head slightly, one palm massaging her temple. This was indeed a predicament. '_What are they going to do now?'_

She was alerted by an almost inaudible sound behind her. Turning around, her eyes widened when she saw the Uchiha already making his way towards the door. _'He's just going to leave just like that?' _Sakura thought in mild contempt, though she couldn't deny that a little part of her felt a little relieved. She still couldn't stand the rogue-nin's presence for some reason.

Near the door, the raven paused.

Sasuke looked back at Sakura, obsidian eyes looking directly at the medic-nin. Sakura could have sworn she saw specks of deep crimson tainting those pure black eyes.

"Don't tell him." _Cold. Cold as ice._

Sakura nodded in stupor.

The rogue-nin left, leaving a heavy air of tension lingering in the air.

* * *

The next day, Naruto slipped out of his room again. But this time, with less vigor. He's almost dragging his feet. He couldn't understand why but his whole body felt hot, and heavy, and incredibly sore. It was much worse than before. Of course, he did not mention this to his medic-nin teammate. He had to maintain the illusion that his wounds had already healed and he is better now. Sakura would certainly worry and he won't like that.

Attributing it to the tedious workout yesterday, the blond just dismissed the uncomfortable feeling and hoped that everything will be better eventually.

_Eventually._

He stopped in the middle of the fields, trying to locate the other using his chakra. As soon as he sensed it, Naruto immediately went to the source, grateful that it's not that far away.

He hadn't even got that far yet when he felt a burst of wind whip the side of his face. It almost hurt. He had not even sensed _him_ approach.

'_That was…_

"Do I have to tie you to the bed, _you_—?"

…_fast.'_

Naruto blinked. He swallowed hard as he looked at the raven, then slowly, to the extended arm blocking his way, merely inches from his face. Sasuke's open palm was almost buried to the bark of the tree, fingers digging into the rough surface of the wood.

The rogue-nin was glaring at him again, jaws clenching tightly.

"A-ha. Hi there Sasuke. Good morning to you, too." Naruto cracked a grin nervously. "Wanna spar?"

The Uchiha looked incredulous and the blond almost laughed, but he restrained himself this brought his hands up in a gesture of mock surrender. "Haha, kidding. Come on bastard, loosen up."

"Tch."

Sasuke detached his arm from the tree and started walking opposite the blond's, back to the facility. He paused when the blond has not made a move.

"If you don't follow," Sasuke gritted out."I will tie you down to your knees and drag you back."

"Oh..." Naruto swallowed hard again, not liking the thought of that. "Fine. Have it your way, you prick."

Despite the growing numbness in his legs, Naruto tried to keep up with the other's speed. "Hey bastard, slow down." The blond shouted to the other, but it was as if the raven did not hear it as he maintained his pace.

"_Fucking_ bastard." Naruto mumbled under his breath.

When they approached the familiar fields, the raven stopped near the entrance of the building and motioned with his head, "Get inside."

The blond narrowed his eyes. '_That commanding tone again.'_ Seriously, it is getting rather annoying. _'What is he – a kid?'_

But before Naruto could protest or shout obscenities at the other, the rogue-nin had already turned his back at him and had started walking away. _Again._

Sasuke went to the nearest tree, sat down, and leaned back against it, his shoulders sagging slightly. Soon after, the man closed his eyes, not bothering to glance at the blond. It was then that Naruto noticed the fatigued look of the rogue-nin. Sasuke appeared so… _tired._

Naruto bit his lower lip, remembering his talk with Kakashi-_sensei_ the other day.

_["He's mostly been missing at night. He comes back in the morning, usually, before dawn."_

"_Huh. Why?" Naruto asked._

_Kakashi brought his book down from his face and looked at the blond. "I'm not exactly sure, Naruto. Judging from his chakra trails though, he doesn't go that far."_

"_I can sense him going around the perimeters repeatedly," The copy-nin continued, one finger doing a circular motion. "I think… he's scouting the area."_

_Naruto gaped. "What?"_

"_Protecting the borders… trying to fend-off intruders, I believe. Almost everyday, for the past few days."]_

_Everyday._

The blond's features softened. He gave a small smile as he stared at his rival.

'_Even if you say otherwise, your actions prove it, Sasuke.' _Naruto thought.

'_You're still with us.'_

Naruto took a few deep breaths, and walked towards the other. The raven immediately felt the approaching blond and opened his eyes. There was mild surprise in the raven's eyes. It didn't last long though as it was immediately replaced by a heated glare. Naruto quite expected it and merely grinned at the murderous look being directed at him. He's getting used to it, actually.

He approached the raven, smiling brilliantly. Clear, perfect blue eyes stared right through the endless pools of black.

It was nice that the width of the tree is quite broad. Without a hint of hesitation, the blond sat beside his rival. Sitting side by side, their shoulders were almost touching.

The blond slumped against the tree, grunting a sigh.

"Oi bastard."

From the pocket of his coat, Naruto produced a small container wrapped loosely in a foil. He handed it to the raven.

"They told me you don't eat, so… here."

Sasuke looked briefly at the offered item but made no move to take it. He closed his eyes again.

"Leave." He murmured. Pale lips pursed in a thinly veiled annoyance.

Naruto felt his spirits sink. He frowned slightly but his hand remained where it was.

"It's not poison." The blond chided, shoving the food nearer to the other. "Bastard, you _need _to eat. You can't live with pills alone, you know."

"…."

No response.

"Fine." He said dejectedly. The blond placed the food in front of the rogue-nin. "You're gonna eat that, you hear me?" Naruto demanded. "Or else I'm going to shove it down your throat whether you like it or not."

And with that Naruto crossed his arms, fuming. In his head, he knew that it was a poorly executed threat but he doesn't care. _He meant it._

"…."

"Hmp. Bastard."

Naruto ripped his eyes away from the other. He's feeling annoyed and he needed to distract himself. For a while, he let his gaze wander around the clearing. Vaguely, he remembered the mini-sparring they had the other day. It felt… quite good. Though he failed in landing even a single blow at the raven, he still smiled at the memory. He missed their sparring sessions.

Come to think of it, he couldn't remember how their fight had ended. He tried recalling the latter details but there was nothing in his head. He then gave up trying to remember and just concluded that he must have passed out. Kakashi-_sensei_ must have brought him back in. _Yep, _that sounded like a perfectly reasonable explanation.

But there was something…

_["Someday, I will be the one…]_

-_something _in his head that refuses to go away. He wasn't sure if it's a memory or just a dream. It was a mere whisper but he heard it all too clearly.

_[…to__** end**__ you."]_

Voice achingly familiar, tone cold and harsh – it was Sasuke's.

Unconsciously, Naruto clenched his fists, feeling a sharp jabbing pain in the center of his chest. Like the turmoil in his head, this gripping feeling of hurt refused to go away. It remained there, clawing and shredding inside the walls of his heart.

It could have been just a dream or anything. He could have just imagined it but—

A bigger part of him believed otherwise. The words Sasuke said before sounded… so real.

For a long time, both of them just stayed silent. Naruto let his gaze linger on the wide expanse of the fields, his thoughts drifting away somewhere else. It didn't take long before the familiar feeling of weariness crept in.

Feeling drained, the blond shut his eyes and leaned his back further against the tree, head lolling to one side. This weariness, he couldn't fight it anymore. Every part of his body felt like it's going to fall off. And it felt like he's in a furnace too. His skin felt like it was burning_. __So hot…_

"Don't sleep here." The blond heard the raven said.

"Nah…" Naruto drawled, his brain starting to shut down. His head dropped and rested on top of the raven's shoulder. "I'm… I'm just tired."

_-tired –tired as hell, and I just want to sleep._

"Just give me a minute… and let me rest."

"Naruto." A warning tone.

But the blond ignored it. He leaned further on the other's shoulder. "I won't… sleep," Naruto said weakly. "Just gimme a minute."

There was a brief pause before the blond felt the support under his head suddenly disappear. Instinctively planting both hands on the ground, Naruto managed to catch himself before his head drop to the ground. Now, he's fully awake. And angry. _'What the hell?' _He tried to glare at the other but it was met by an equally scathing glare.

"Get. Back. Inside." Sasuke uttered very slowly, now standing, and looking down at the blond with livid eyes.

Vaguely, Naruto noticed the small package crushed beneath Sasuke's foot, grains of rice spilling out. His heart clenched.

"What the hell, bastard?" Naruto abruptly stood up. The muscles in his legs protested but he ignored it. "You can't say it to me nicely? Do you have to be an asshole about it?"

"Inside. Now." The raven growled out again.

Naruto gritted his teeth, his fists coiling tightly. He's angry and confused. He couldn't understand. _'Why?'_

"Why…?" Naruto asked, voice broken and low.

'_-why are you like that? Why do you treat me like this?'_

'_**Why do you hate me so much?'**_

His shoulders sagged in defeat. He pressed his lips together and looked away, shaking his head.

"You know what bastard, never mind."

The blond raised his palm. "Just." He sighed. "Just forget it."

Naruto started walking back to the facility, moving past Sasuke without even a glance. His steps were slow as he dragged his feet with much effort. It felt like the longest walk of his life. His limbs felt as heavy as his heart, and his eyes burned like the rest of his body. Tears welled up in his eyes but he wiped them away even before they could fall.

It was only that he closed the door behind him that he let himself collapsed on the ground. His body gave a slight tremble as he dropped and sank further into the tiled floor. And then, the trembling ceased. There were no movements anymore. He lay there on the cold floor perfectly still. He knew he couldn't stand up anymore. He would just have to wait for anyone to help him up.

It didn't take long before the blond felt a familiar chakra signature closing in. A shadow loomed over him. Naruto gave a strained smile to greet the other.

"Sensei."

Kakashi knelt before the blond, understanding dawning in his visible eye. Without saying a word, he lifted one tan arm and wrapped it around his neck, supporting the blond.

"Please don't tell Sakura-chan." Naruto muttered weakly as he forced his legs to stand up.

The copy-nin sighed behind his mask.

"She will know eventually, Naruto."

"Ah yeah…" The blond rested his head on the other's shoulder. He didn't answer anymore as he finally let himself succumb to weariness.

He slept for the rest of the day.

* * *

The light drizzle of the late evening hushed all the other noises of the forest. The air around them felt cold, like a cool hand cupped over the whole area. A thin blanket of mist coated the wide expanse of the fields, but it was not enough to obscure everything from view.

Kakashi saw the Uchiha land in the middle of the clearing. If he was not looking, he might have missed it. The Uchiha has perfect chakra control. He barely heard and felt it. Even with limited chakra, Sasuke's movements remained exceptionally well. Truth be told, Kakashi could have felt proud for his former student. _He could have – _if it were not for some details on how the Uchiha learned it.

The copy-nin slid his book into his pocket, watching the Uchiha with mild interest.

He knew that Sasuke's aware of his presence, though the raven seemed like he doesn't care. Kakashi forgot how it started but it became the routine between them. They can both feel each other – both watching, both sensing – but there had been no interaction. There had _never_ been an interaction. They didn't talk or even see eye to eye. The raven would not even spare him a glance.

But even then, Kakashi knew what the other would do next.

For quite a while now, after his evening rounds, Sasuke would go inside the facility. Kakashi had no doubts on where the Uchiha goes. Sasuke will stay inside for a few hours and, before the sun rises, he'll come out again. It was an every night, habitual affair but it still never ceased to amaze the jounin.

However tonight would be an exception.

As expected, the raven proceeded to the entrance, steps confident and exact. He did not bother to glance at the jounin's location.

"Not tonight, Sasuke."

The copy-nin said as he landed in front of the raven, blocking his way. If the Uchiha was surprised, he did not show it. The sudden intrusion of space would make most people move away. But Sasuke did not step back.

"Get out of my way."

Kakashi slid both hands into his pocket, assuming a casual yet defensive stance. "He's fine. You don't have to visit tonight—"

The Uchiha did not let the other finish and proceeded on his way. In one swift movement, Kakashi was in front of the raven again. This time, he has both hands out of his pocket. He looked solemnly at the Uchiha. Tension gripped the air, but neither seemed willing to back down.

"Sasuke." Kakashi started again. "That was an order."

The raven's dark eyes narrowed. Beneath the headband, Kakashi's _sharingan_ started to spin. The jounin's hand inched closer to his face, ready to take the cover off.

But before either of them could do anything, a tremendous explosion resounded in the area and shook the earth. Immediately, both of the ninjas turned to the source.

"That's…" The jounin's eyes widened.

_-impossible_

Kakashi removed the headband covering his _sharingan_ and jumped to the nearest tree. He needed to make sure. As he surveyed the surrounding area, he realized that he was right. One of Yamato's wooden gates has just been knocked down. A thick column of grey smoke started billowing from the distance. He could feel them – a horde of ninjas closing in. And he's pretty sure they were not Konoha's.

_Damn._

Cursing in his head, Kakashi turned around. He was not surprised to see Sasuke already gone. The copy-nin dashed towards the facility, following his ex-student inside.

This only gives them a few minutes to prepare and plan their next destination. They still don't have any place in mind. Aside from that, they have an injured person with them.

He clenched his fists, flaring his chakra to alert Yamato.

The whole scenario seemed bleak. The jounin hoped against hope that they can escape again this time.

* * *

But before that, Kakashi needed to deal with another problem first.

Even outside Naruto's room, the copy-nin could already feel the palpable tension swimming in the air. Stopping at the entrance of the room, he noticed that the door was already open. It was smashed through the concrete wall and taken off its hinges— indicative of a rather forceful opening. Kakashi swallowed hard, a single bead of sweat rolled down his temple.

Cautiously and very slowly, he walked inside. For good measure, he situated himself in the middle, eyeing the occupants of the room one by one.

The copy-nin imagined this happening many times, but the gripping hostility in reality was indeed more than what he expected. The unease in the room felt so tangible and nerve-wracking that one can simply slice through it.

Sasuke was standing close to the entrance, stance perfectly rigid and glaring daggers at the newest member of Team 7. Sai was doing the same, eyes darker than usual as they stared right back at the Uchiha. One of Sai's arm was extended sideways, protectively in front of Naruto.

In the sidelines, Sakura watched her three male teammates. She looked completely lost.

"S-Sasuke!"

It was Naruto's voice. Kakashi focused his attention on the blond.

Naruto was standing up, one hand gripping the bed for support as he looked at his rival, blinking a few times. He looked so surprised, blue eyes wide and mouth open. Kakashi noted with fleeting amusement that the blond seemed to be the only one in the room unaware of the incredibly tensed situation; the only one dense enough not to "sense" the murderous auras radiating from the two ravens in front of him.

"Don't worry Sai. It's just Sasuke." Naruto reassured the raven close to him. Grinning, he patted Sai's shoulder gently. Sai responded with a slightly bemused expression, looking at the blond like he'd just grown another head.

'_Oh yeah, Naruto doesn't know.' _Kakashi thought. He felt a little twinge of guilt for not telling the blond about the "little incident" that happened between the two dark-haired ninjas, but now, he was somewhat glad he didn't. Naruto trusts Sai completely. They have unbelievably been close through the years. To have another betrayal from a very close friend would surely scourge deep.

Sai refused to lower his arm and instead looked at Kakashi.

"We heard an explosion. What was it?" asked Sai in a cold voice.

"One of the gates securing the area has just collapsed." Kakashi explained. Naruto and Sakura both gasped. There were no visible reactions from the other two.

"They found us. We need to move out." Kakashi continued. "Estimating the distance between the gate and this place, I say we only have a few minutes at most."

"But that's impossible." Sakura voiced out. "How can they…?"

"Yeah. I've thought so too. It seems like the other villages are really serious in pursuing us."

"Where are we going?" Naruto interrupted.

Kakashi looked pensive for a moment. Then he answered, "Actually, I have no idea. For now, we need to escape first. The safest route is to the east. We are heading to that direction."

"Sensei!" Sakura looked troubled. Her voice faltered, looking worriedly at Naruto. "What about…?"

The blond caught the worried look directed at him. "Sakura-chan! I'm already fine. I can move. Hell, I can fight. You don't have to—"

"No you're not, you idiot. You are in no condition to travel, much less to move at all."

Naruto looked stumped. "But Sakura-chan…"

Sakura ignored the blond and focused on the jounin. "Sensei. We have to carry him."

"WHAT! No way." A blush crept up on Naruto's face. The blond flailed his hands in front of his face. "Hell no. Damn it, I can move, okay. Come on, guys, I can do this." Naruto looked desperately at the jounin, eyes pleading.

Kakashi regarded Naruto for a moment before he glanced at every one in the room. Sai's expression was vacant, but his gaze was lowered, thinking. Sakura's brows were drawn together, looking worried but determined at the same time.

Even Sasuke appeared conflicted.

"Naruto." Kakashi started again.

"No." The tone was hard, gripped with finality. Naruto looked directly at the jounin. "No one's going to carry me. I'm going to be fine."

Kakashi sighed. "We don't really have time to argue about this."

"That's why let's just drop it."

"_Baka_-Naruto!" Sakura growled out. She moved towards the blond, fists clenching. "Are you out of your mind? You can't, okay! With your wounds, you just can't."

The blond gulped. Sakura suddenly looked scary. Naruto stepped back unconsciously. "B-but Sakura-chan…"

Kakashi cleared his throat. He looked at Sakura, then at Naruto. "Fine. You win, Naruto."

"Sensei!" Sakura shouted, disbelief written all over her face. "What are you—?"

The jounin raised a palm, halting the medic-nin's outburst. Kakashi regarded Naruto again. "But if you lag behind, Naruto, if you slow us down, we are not going to care whether you like it or not." His expression became more serious. "One of us will carry you. Understand?"

Naruto smirked confidently. "That ain't gonna happen, Kaka-sensei."

Beneath the mask, Kakashi responded with a grin of his own. "Let's just hope you're right, Naruto. Let's just hope you're right."

The jounin gave Naruto one last glance before he moved his attention back to the group.

"Okay team. We're moving out."

* * *

"Damn."

Naruto cursed in his head. He heard a crunch under his foot as he landed on a branch. He doesn't need to look down to know that he broke something again. This was the fifth branch that he almost broke. His chakra control's going haywire. It's too strong most of the time. But when he tried to weaken it a bit, it faded away entirely. There were times when he almost slipped.

He pressed the heel of his palm against his temple, trying to reign in the swelling migraine. This headache was making it difficult for him to control his chakra. It's extremely distracting. He thought that by morning, his fever would have gone down, but _damn it, _it didn't.

It got worse.

And beneath the gauze, he could feel his wounds throbbing maddeningly. To keep up with everybody's pace, he needed to exert extra effort which forced him to push his body more. Needless to say, his body can't keep up with the sudden strain, draining him dry of all his energy. It had only been an hour, but he felt so exhausted already. Naruto gritted his teeth. _'What's happening to his body?'_

The cold evening wind breezed through his face, and Naruto fought the urge to shiver. In his peripheral vision, he could see Sai stealing glances at him. As well as Sakura. If he show them any hint of weakness or slowing down, they'd certainly worry. More than the dull ache radiating through every muscle of his body, the worried glances directed at him felt more uncomfortable. The blond bit his lip hard. He's determined to endure this but every minute feels too long and he's constantly tempted to just stop and rest.

"Just for a minute." Naruto muttered to himself as he stopped on a branch, breathing heavily. "Just… one minute."

He knelt down on a branch, one hand planted on the ground while the other on his chest. He could feel the heavy drumming of his heart as he tried to steady his breathing. _'I can do this. I can do this.' _Naruto mumbled repeatedly in his head. After a while, he tried to stand up again. His legs shook, and he could feel his muscles rippling in his thighs.

_Damn it. _He shouldn't have stopped. Now, he couldn't get up.

Someone landed near him. He knew who it is even without looking.

"Dickless."

Clutching the trunk of the tree for support, Naruto straightened his posture. It's taking all of his strength to just stop his knees from wobbling.

"…I'm okay Sai." The blond gave a wan smile at the other. "I just rested a bit."

Strangely, Sai did not smile back. Even a fake smile was nonexistent on the pale man's face. His dark eyes bore into Naruto's own, and the latter couldn't help but feel a tad uncomfortable.

"Come on, let's go." The blond said as he prepared to jump again. But before he could do so, one gloved hand gripped his elbow.

"What?" Naruto asked. "What's wro—?"

Sai suddenly stepped forward and laid a hand on his forehead.

"Idiot. You are burning up."

Naruto waved it away. "Just a slight fever, Sai. It's tolerable and I'm fine." The blond made another attempt to move but was stopped again by a hand gripping his wrist.

Naruto tugged at his arm. "Oi. Let me go."

"I cannot let you continue this stupidity, dickless." Voice low, tone cold. Sai's aura has become intimidating.

Sakura landed behind Sai. Her eyes were pleading. "Please, Naruto."

In the background, Naruto noticed that everybody else had stopped. Even Sasuke who was supposed to be the farthest from him in the formation, is now oddly closer.

Naruto shook his head forcefully. "I said no and that's final. Drop it, guys."

It wasn't his pride that Naruto was concerned about. He would admit that indeed, it looks somewhat weird. But that is not the reason why he remained adamant about his decision. It was the thought of someone carrying the burden of protecting him. It was the thought of making someone vulnerable to attacks while carrying him. For the life of him, he couldn't stand that. He'd rather fight with them than let them protect him.

But his teammates were just as stubborn.

Sakura moved towards the blond. In her hand was a sedative. "Naruto. Just drink this. Please. Sai will carry you."

"No Sakura-chan. I'm sorry…"

The medic-nin clenched her fists. "Stop being so stupid, Naruto. Look at you. You can barely stand up—"

A hand suddenly appeared in front of Sakura, effectively halting her speech. Sakura looked at the open palm in front of her, unsure of what to do.

"The pill." Sai muttered, his eyes still fixed on Naruto.

"Oh." Sakura understood and put the pill on the man's palm.

The blond watched the interaction with confusion. He looked at Sai as the latter stared back at him. Something twisted uncomfortably in his gut, but he ignored it. It was only when Sai put the pill in his mouth that he finally understood what's going to happen next.

"Oh hell no." Naruto said as he stepped back but he didn't get far as the grip in his wrist tightened, ceasing his movements. The other pale hand found its way over his jawline. It was the same hard grip. Naruto felt the fingers digging into his cheeks as the pale man forced the blond's mouth to open. Once it opened a bit, Sai pressed his mouth hard against the other.

Naruto was too stunned to react. In the distance, he heard Sakura gasp.

'_The bastard really did it..!'_

Something wet and slimy forced its way inside his mouth, grazing his gums and finally, making contact with his own tongue. He felt the foreign tongue going further into his mouth. He could taste the bitter flavor of the pill as it rolled on his tongue.

When the pill settled at the back of his throat, Sai pulled away. He did so very slowly. A thin trail of saliva dripped down from Naruto's open mouth.

"Swallow, Uzumaki."

Still too stunned to process coherent thoughts, Naruto followed. He swallowed and felt the pill eased down his throat.

After a few seconds of staring at the pale man, _it_ finally dawned on him. He blinked a few times, as if he couldn't believe what just happened. The blond immediately felt his face heat up. He stared shamefully at the ground.

'_You shameless bastard. In front of everyone!'_

Naruto glared at the other. "You…" He growled, stepping forward and pointing an accusatory finger at the other. But he didn't get far as black spots start to appear at the edges of his vision. His legs have gone numb and he felt his consciousness receding. Naruto cursed again his head. He glared at the ROOT member one last time before his body tumbled forward and into the arms of the other.

* * *

Sai adjusted the sleeping blond on his back. He grasped the man's thighs closer to his waist as he prepared to jump.

"We'll take turns." Kakashi said as Sai passed him.

Sai gave his characteristic grin. "I can handle this, _Sensei_." And without saying anything else, he proceeded onwards, not bothering to look back at anyone.

Kakashi shook his head slightly. He gave his team the signal to proceed. Sakura nodded in response, following Sai's path.

Except Sasuke.

The Uchiha's figure remained unmoving. His eyes were wide as they stared at the ground; hands balled tightly into fists. Lips pressed in a very thin and white line. He looked positively livid.

"Sasuke…" Kakashi called.

"…!"

It was fast, so fast.

One second the raven was in front of him, and then he was gone. Kakashi felt the burst of wind lashed on his face as the Uchiha went passed him in an astonishing speed. There was no doubt on who is he after.

"Shit."

The copy-nin ran after the raven.

Sai felt _it _approach long before it made an appearance. He swiveled to the left as a horde of chakra-infused blades rained down on him. As he landed on the ground, two hunter-nins appeared on either side of him. With both hands occupied, he could only dodge their attacks.

One hunter-nin picked a blade from the ground and hurled it at him. Sai evaded it with ease. Another one made a similar attempt of maiming him but dodged it as well, even managing to land a blow at the enemy's chest.

He continued running forward but was stopped when four ninjas suddenly materialized in front of him. He grits his teeth as he looked around for an escape route. Too busy to pay attention to his surroundings, he did not feel another chakra signature approach. He only felt it when one familiar-looking sword descended on the head of one of the nins in front of him.

The blade pierced through the man's skull all the way to his neck. Thick, dark patches of crimson colored the ground as the unfortunate hunter-nin collapsed to the ground.

Without even glancing at the dead body, the Uchiha ripped his blade away from the man, cutting off the latter's head.

Sasuke approached the other raven, cold dark eyes raking Sai with a patronizing glare.

"Give him to me." Sasuke's voice was chilling.

Sai merely smirked, staring right back at the Uchiha without batting an eyelid. "Uchiha."

Taking the pause as a cue, the hunter-nins in the back charged at the two ravens.

"Sorry Uchiha. But he's mine." Sai intoned, the menacing smile still on his face.

A huge wave of electricity engulfed the whole area, illuminating a huge part of the forest. It burned everything in its path, _**everything**_. All the hunter-nins were reduced into mere ashes as the Uchiha released his fury.

(TBC)

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry everyone! I'm really, really slow.

AND, thank you so much for reading!


	16. Warning

**Chapter 16: Warning**

* * *

Bolts of thick lightning sheets crackled through the forest, illuminating and igniting everything in its path. In mere seconds, everything around them was set ablaze and reduced pitifully to ashes; the air filled with nothing but the pungent odor of burnt wood and flesh.

Through all the carnage, Sai remained still, visibly undaunted and staring back impassively at the Uchiha. His eyes flicked coolly to the crackling flames at his sides. As the flames began to die down, Sai's gaze slowly returned to the other, a scathing smile twisting his lips.

"My, my, what a terrible aim you have there." The ROOT member chanted derisively. He tilted his head a bit. "I am right here, Uchiha."

Another series of lightning discharge crackled loudly and surrounded the two. Sasuke's rage-filled crimson eyes thinned even more; his hand shaking as his fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword.

Sai felt the burning heat penetrate through his clothes as he was once again enveloped into a canvass of glowing white and blue. However, no matter how close the lightning sheets got, his body remained untouched. At this, Sai's sneer instinctively deepened. _He's holding back. _

_Uchiha Sasuke is deliberately holding back._

Just as the lightning receded, Sai ambled forward slowly, uncaring of the flames lining his path. He ground them out coolly with his sandal as he walked. The flames hissed beneath his foot, a thin wisp of smoke billowing from them before they finally died. Still smiling, he stopped a few meters away from the other raven.

"Aim again, Uchiha. Point it directly to my heart this time." Sai ordered the other. "Come on. I _dare_ you."

"…." Sasuke's mouth hardened at the other's nerve, but he did not move.

"Or are you afraid that _it_ will go through?" Sai asked, a look of cunning flickering in his steely eyes. Tightening his hold on his teammate, Sai tipped his head to the side where Naruto's chin rests.

Leering and with his eyes still fixed at the Uchiha, the ROOT member moved his face closer to the blond. He saw Sasuke's eyes widened a great deal before he inhaled the blond's scent and without a moment's hesitation, pressed his mouth to the side of the latter's face.

One breath. That was all it took before Sai felt the sharp edge of the rogue nin's katana digging into the skin of his neck.

In an instant, Kakashi was in front of him and has grasped Sasuke's wrist before the sword has sliced through his throat. Unblinking, Sai vaguely registered the warm liquid dribbling down his neck as he held the Uchiha's unwavering, murderous gaze.

"Sasuke. This isn't the time for this." Kakashi nearly hissed, his tone low and grave. He glanced back at the ROOT member as well and continued. "We are being hunted and we're running out of time. You two need to stop this."

Sai's smile stayed in place. His expression remained calm, paying no heed to the sword still dangerously close to his head or to the blood trickling down his neck. He looked at Kakashi for a while as if processing his words before he adjusted his stance and nodded slightly in response. With one last glance at the Uchiha, Sai side-stepped the two and proceeded onwards.

Kakashi felt the muscles of the Uchiha tightened under his grasp when the ROOT member walked past the rogue nin slowly before sprinting at a considerable speed. Sasuke was gripping his sword so tight that his knuckles have grown white.

With a force that almost shoved Kakashi aside, the Uchiha removed his hand from the other's grip. He turned around briskly and ran off as well.

As he stared at the two disappearing figures in the distance, Kakashi sighed deeply. He could only hope that this would not escalate into something he could no longer control. Looking at the incinerated surroundings however made him think that maybe, it already has.

"Are you alright, Sakura?" asked Kakashi when the medic-nin landed beside him.

"I'm fine, _Sensei._ It's just a minor burn." Sakura replied, nursing a wound on her shoulder.

Kakashi watched as the other quickly wrapped the bandages around the injury. When Sasuke has released his full-body lightning _jutsu_, Sakura was too close. She didn't have time to evade. If he had not blocked and redirected the path of the lightning bolts, Sakura would have been hit full-on.

"Let's go, _sensei,_" the medic-nin said as she tightened the knot of her bandages. There's a glimmer of anxiety in her eyes but she still looked determined. "We must find a place to rest before the sun sets."

Kakashi nodded. They hurriedly followed the path of the two ravens, leaving the trail of ashes still floating gently on the scorched mound of earth.

* * *

There is water dripping relentlessly in the background. Naruto opened his eyes and his eyes widened as he looked around.

Every single time he visited the demon's lair, he's always taken by surpise. Now is definitely not an exception.

The last time he went here, he was knee-deep in water and surrounded by the hazy crimson chakra of the nine-tailed beast. He remembered that time so well because he's been subjected into a whole lot of physical pain. He didn't know that things could get worse than that.

Now, the water's reaching up to his waist. Its temperature has also increased. It almost felt as hot as his skin. He raised his arms and waded through the warm body of liquid on the way to the Kyuubi's iron cage. Before he could reach the humungous iron bars however, he felt the room vibrate, creating a huge ripple on the surface of the water.

"Yikes." Naruto muttered as he fought to steady his balance. For a second, he debated if he should just use his chakra to walk on water, but remembering how his chakra control fared earlier, he dropped the idea immediately.

Another loud, vibrating growl rang in the chamber. Through the endless abyss behind the cage, Naruto saw the beast bare its sharp, white teeth at him.

"Yo. Long time, no see, Kyuubi," greeted the blond. The beast was silent and Naruto stood uncomfortably still as the giant, crimson eyes of the other stared him down.

"…_**You're still alive." **_

Naruto blinked at the statement. Once the words registered to him, he grinned proudly and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well yeah, what do you expect? It's going to take more than a few weak explosives to bring this Uzumaki down."

The Kyuubi's eyes shrank to about half their size; its malicious grin widening, showing more of its teeth which seem to glow in the darkness. _**"Foolish human, I am not referring to that."**_

The blond's grin almost dropped. His hands lowered slowly as he regarded the beast seriously. "What… do you mean?"

"_**You're feeling it now, don't you?" **_

"Feel what?"

The beast cackled loudly behind the iron bars, causing another series of waves to ripple across the water.

"_**What a fool you are."**_

"Feel what?" Naruto asked again, ignoring the obvious jibe. He pushed himself closer to the cage.

"_**Heat." **_The Kyuubi replied.

"Huh?" Naruto stopped moving. He gaped at the beast in confusion. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

"…_**." **_It did not answer and just continued to rake the blond in a patronizing, all-knowing glare.

"Oi!" Naruto shouted. Annoyed, he started moving again. Once he reached the iron bars, he raised his hands to touch them – but pulled away instantly when his skin made contact with the cage. He cursed, his voice echoing loudly in the chamber.

"What the _fuck _is that?" The blond gritted out as he dipped both of his hands in the water, hissing at the burning feel. Through the water, he could see that his palms have swelled a bit. His eyes widened at that. He looked back at the beast. "Damn it Kyuubi, your cage is freaking hot."

'_It almost feels like it's…'_

"It's burning."

The beast laughed again, longer and more deafening this time. The whole chamber vibrated once again; chains clanking loudly in the background. Naruto stood his ground as the huge ripples tried to push him away.

"_**Fool. My cage is not burning." **_The Kyuubi declared. It lowered its head, eyes narrowed and leveled at Naruto's.

The beast's maniacal grin was still in place and Naruto felt his hair rise up on the back of his neck. For some reason, he doesn't like where this is going. Unconsciously, he stepped back.

"_**You are." **_The beast finally said.

Naruto felt the beast's hot breaths fanned his face but it failed to register in his mind. He only heard the two words…

"…W-what?" Naruto asked breathlessly. His throat has suddenly gone dry. He looked at Kyuubi as if the latter has grown another tail.

"What!" The blond asked again, this time in a louder voice. "I… I'm burning? My body is…? What's that mean?"

The beast remained quiet, leering quietly. It did not move or say anything; its mocking, terrifying eyes fixed on its vessel.

"I… I don't understand." Naruto's shaking his head now. "Damn it you demon, what the hell does that mean?"

"_**Your body is burning, Human. I don't know how to make that simpler for you."**_

"That's crazy!" Naruto shouted. "All these years here and you're finally going mad, Kyuu. How is that even possible? I feel fine. My wounds just healed and—"

Naruto stopped when his fingers grazed his heated skin. It has always felt hot. He swallowed hard.

Noticing the sudden quiet, the demon goaded, _**"Feel it now, don't you?" **_

The blond's gaze wavered at that. Slowly, his head lowered, trying to remember the time when his temperature was low. That was a long time ago. Since the accident, his body temperature has rarely gone down. He always feels… feverish for some reason. Even Sakura has commented on that. He thought – they all thought – that it was just a fever or something.

"I…"

With his eyes lowered, Naruto could see his reflection on the water. It was vague but even then, he could see his eyes tinged with fear staring back at him. He felt his guts twist and clench painfully.

"_**Slowly. Very slowly. You are going to burn alive, Kit." **_The demon continued.

"…."

"_**And you have to thank the Uchiha for that."**_

"This is… Madara's doing?" Naruto asked faintly, still looking at the water.

Kyuubi's slits thinned even more. Its voice deepened, clearly amused. _**"Guess again."**_

At that, Naruto's eyes widened.

_There are only two Uchihas left._

The blond felt his lips move, but no sound came out. His heart felt like it had stopped beating.

Slowly, his gaze traveled up to meet the Kyuubi's.

"S-Sasuke…?" He managed to choke out.

"_**He's killing you." **_The demon said, slowly retreating back to its of chakra began to seep through the cage, blanketing the whole chamber in deep, dark red. Naruto's vision started to dim.

Despite the heat, Naruto gripped the iron bars tightly. "Wait! Stop, Kyuubi. What do you mean? What the hell does that mean?"

"…_**Stay away from him." **_The demon warned finally; its growling voice echoing ominously in the whole chamber.

As the waves in the water destroyed his reflection, Naruto felt his heart sink deeply into his gut. The demon has vanished completely, leaving him alone in the dark, torrid chamber. He closed his eyes, feeling everything around him slowly disappear.

* * *

Naruto awoke with a start. Cold sweat swathed his forehead. He was panting heavily; his heart beating furiously in his chest. It felt as though he had run a marathon. He placed a rather shaky hand on his chest, trying to steady his breathing.

Blearily, he looked around his dark surroundings. It was already night time. They must have set camp. There was a camp fire cracking a few meters in front of him, with sleeping bags strewn around it. He shifted a bit, feeling quite uncomfortable in his position. He was currently sitting and leaning against something hard and rough. He could feel the rough barks of the tree digging into his back.

He saw a shadow walking over to him. The shadow stopped and knelt beside his outstretched legs.

"How are you feeling?" the shadow asked.

Naruto felt his face immediately heat up at the voice. He motioned the other to come closer.

The shadow complied and moved towards to the blond. Once the other was nearer, Naruto gripped the other's collar tightly and pulled him closer to his face.

"Sai, you creepy bastard." Naruto gritted out. He was painfully aware of the blush creeping up his neck. His face must be humiliatingly beet red right now. For some reason, the moment he heard Sai's voice, he was reminded of… something not-so pleasant.

"Do that _th-thing_ again and I swear I'll rip your balls out in your sleep and feed them to Pakkun, you jerk."

Sai raised an elegant brow. He tilted his head, looking confused. "Thing? What thing? What are you talking about, dickless?" He moved his face closer to the blond. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Naruto released his hold and pulled back when the raven's face hover a mere inches away from him.

"He's talking about what happened earlier, Sai." Sakura interjected, kneeling beside the blond as well. Naruto noticed that her face was slightly flushed as well and she was looking at the ground.

"When you… w-when you transferred the pill." Sakura finished nervously.

"Oh." Sai said. He glanced at the medic-nin, then fixed his gaze back to the blond. "Are you talking about the time when I pressed my mouth to yo—"

"Ack!" Naruto shouted as he clamped a hand on the pale man's mouth. "Sai! It never happened, alright! Don't say it. D-don't you dare mention it again. Just… just forget about it."

Sai still looked confused. The pale man held the blond's wrist and gently removed it from his face. "I don't understand, Naruto. Are you angry? I did that to help you."

Naruto almost face-palmed at that. How could someone say that in a straight, innocent-looking face? For a moment there, he almost pitied the other guy. _Almost!_

"Yeah, I know." Naruto looked away. "And I do appreciate the thought, Sai. Just… Just don't do that again. Please. Next time, just give me the damn pill and I'll gladly take it."

"But wouldn't it be easier—"

"No." Naruto retorted firmly. "Or you could just knock me out. Hit my head or something. Honestly, I'd prefer that…"

'_Rather than another goddamn tongue shoved down my throat.' _Naruto finished in his mind.

Sai looked contemplative for a moment. Then he sighed quietly.

"I understand, Naruto."

At that, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief as well. He beamed widely at Sai and Sakura. "So guys, what did I miss?"

The medic-nin blinked at the sudden change of topic. But she recovered soon and moved closer to the blond.

"First of, how are you, Naruto?" Sakura inquired, placing a palm on the blond's forehead.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," the blond replied, stretching his arms above his head. "Geez, you guys need to stop worrying."

Sakura's hand lowered to feel the blond's neck. "It's because you're still flushed and your skin feels really warm, you idiot." Her brows furrowed, looking directly at the blond. "You still have a fever and I'm not entirely sure why. I'll give you medication. But you have to eat first."

"Ah, thank god. I'm starving, Sakura-chan." Naruto grumbled, rubbing his stomach absentmindedly as it gave a low rumble.

"Can you stand?" Sai inquired, offering a hand.

For a moment, Naruto was stunned at the gesture. Blinking, he looked alternately at Sai and at the offered hand. "Are you serious?" Naruto asked. "It's just a fever, Sai. I still have my legs, you know. They're still functioning, fortunately…"

When the pale man did not withdraw his hand, Naruto shook his head. "Never mind." Grumbling about something under his breath, he pushed himself off the ground. Stretching his back, he then made his way towards the camp fire, followed by his two teammates who briefly exchanged meaningful glances behind him.

"Yo, Kaka-sensei." Naruto greeted the jounin sitting beside the fire, reading. He sat down beside him.

"Naruto." Kakashi greeted back. Naruto blinked at the surprisingly serious tone. He looked back at the jounin as the other faced him directly and closed his orange book. He raised a brow at that. The copy-nin _just closed his book. Just closed his damn book. _That… rarely happens.

'_Shit's getting serious.' _Naruto thought grimly.

"Feeling better?" the other asked.

"Yeahhhh…." Naruto drawled out, nodding slowly. The copy-nin's still staring pointedly at him. The blond began to fidget in his seat, unsure on how to handle the sudden close scrutiny.

"Uh, is there something wrong?" he asked.

"I don't know, Naruto. Is there?" Kakashi probed. "Do you have something to say to me?"

"Huh?" The blond swallowed hard. "To say to you? Nope. N-Nothing."

The jounin doesn't seem satisfied at the answer and continued to stare fixedly at him.

Unable to handle the other's gaze, the blond looked away, glancing awkwardly at his surroundings. The fire was now flickering weakly in front of him. It will die soon because of the chilly breeze. They were sitting in a circle. He noticed that Sai was sitting beside him. Next to him was Sakura who is currently fixing something in a bowl. Then, beside her…

He sucked in breath hard.

There, sitting right across from him but still farther from the rest, is the sole brooding figure of his rogue teammate. Their eyes met instantly. Sasuke was staring directly at him. Through the flickering haze of the fire, his dark, piercing eyes appeared as if they were burning.

_[He's killing you.]_

Naruto shuddered. His gaze dropped immediately.

"…Naruto?"

He almost jumped at the voice.

"Ah, S-Sakura-chan."

"Here." The medic-nin offered him a bowl. "Eat first. You'll take your medicine later."

"Thanks." Naruto said. "You're the best, Sakura-chan."

"I know." The medic-nin gave him a playful jab on the shoulder. She was smiling but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She seemed troubled about something. Sighing heavily, the medic-nin then went back to her place.

She and Sai have leant in towards each other and were now talking about something. Vaguely, he could hear the words being spoken but nothing seem to register in his head anymore. He picked up the chopsticks and began to eat.

The food has never tasted so bland in his mouth.

"You seem tense."

Naruto gripped his utensils a little tighter; he glanced back at the jounin warily, wondering how to respond to that. Before he could say anything though, Kakashi spoke again.

"I'll ask again, Naruto. Is there something bothering you?"

"Uh…" Naruto said, refocusing his attention on the food.

'_Yeah, actually there is. You know what, Sensei, the bastard demon just informed me I'mma kick the bucket soon and it's going to be by the hands of my best friend so yeah I do have a problem. And it's really big. Like Hokage-monument big.'_ Naruto pondered, but the words were somehow stuck in his throat. He couldn't say them out loud. Not to anyone. Especially not to his team. Heck, he doesn't even believe it himself but somehow, despite all the denials and suspicions in his head, the words have really affected him. They sounded so true – so believable – that it actually terrified him.

Of all the years he's known Kyuubi, the demon has never, even once, predicted his death. The beast has threatened him a lot sure, has tried to kill him too on several occasions by pressuring him to release its full power – but it has never told him outright how he's going to die, how soon, and by whose hands. The demon has revealed that dying-part with much conviction and vehemence that he has found it exceedingly difficult not to believe it. Coupled with all the odd symptoms he has been experiencing, the demon's warning sounded so legitimate.

"Yeah, Sensei. I…" Naruto uttered. Slowly, his head lowered; his face hidden by his bangs. "I…"

"What, Naruto?"

"I… I don't think I can finish this food." The blond said, making a face at the green-stuffed grub in front of him.

There was a pause before Kakashi sighed heavily. He seemed disappointed. "They're vegetables, Naruto. Sakura has added some herbs on it to make it healthier. You should eat them to speed up your recovery process. We can't rely on the fox's power all the time. You know that."

"I know." Naruto said, still scowling. He leaned in closer to the jounin, whispering, "But this has got to be the worst thing I've ever tasted, Sensei. Please, can you help me out here? Sakura-chan's going to kill me if I don't finish this. But I really can't. Distract her for a second, will you?"

"What are you going to do?" the jounin asked.

The blond's eyes flicked to the fire. Kakashi understood it immediately. He smiled beneath his mask.

"Let's make a deal here, Naruto. I'll help you out if you tell me what you're hiding."

"Eh?" Naruto's jaw dropped. "You can't be serious! I told you, I'm not hiding anything."

"You're a bad liar, Naruto."

The blond gulped at that. He has always admired his instructor's intuitiveness, but now he can't help but curse it in his head.

"Fine." Naruto gritted out. He returned his attention to the bowl, feeling his stomach twist at the sight. He began eating in a very slow, controlled pace, refraining himself from chewing too much so their "awful" taste wouldn't linger on his tongue. With much difficulty, he tried to swallow them like water but felt some of them got stuck in his throat. He pounded on his chest frantically.

"Don't force it Naruto. You're going to choke." The jounin said, handing him a bottle of water. There's humor in his tone. If his mouth isn't currently stuffed with food, Naruto could've retorted fittingly, but the sounds that came out of his mouth were merely incoherent words and grumbles.

'_If I did choke, it's going to be your fault, Sensei,'_ the blond thought, glaring at the other who seemed to be grinning widely beneath his mask.

When he had wolfed down half of his food, he brought his chopsticks down and stared at the base of the fire, careful not to see through it. He doesn't know if he can face the Uchiha now or even glimpse a part of him. He could never look at him again without thinking of his impending de… whatever the demon fox said or implied.

'_Does he know? Is he really the cause of all of these?' _Naruto pondered. Thinking back, it wasn't really that hard to believe. The Uchiha has tried to kill him so many times in the past – devoid of any hesitation or feeling at all. He doesn't care then. Why would this time be any different?

Naruto gripped his chopsticks hard, smiling bitterly. He knew the answer to that one.

Because despite everything, despite all the brutal rejections and the pain he had experienced, Naruto had hoped – _sincerely hoped_—that after everything that happened, the Uchiha has changed; that amidst all the darkness in his heart, he has somehow managed to regain a bit of his humanity back.

He felt it before when the Uchiha patched him up. At that time, his dark eyes have looked at him with concern, worry even. He felt it. It was there, raw, and it was real. He _knew_ it was real.

But then again, he could be wrong.

The chopsticks broke in his hand. He stared distractedly at it for a long time before he felt something suddenly dripped down from his face. It fell onto the food. It was a thick bead of liquid. Before he could recognize what it is, another one fell down, followed by another, then another. Tentatively, he stroked his cheeks. They were dry. He wasn't crying.

'_Is it… raining?' _Naruto mused as he looked up at the dark skies.

As he tilted his head back, he felt the liquid dropped from his mouth to his tongue. He tasted it. The taste was awfully familiar. It tasted like—

_Blood._

"Naruto! Your nose…" Sakura shrieked. "It's bleeding."

'_Huh?' _the blond touched the skin under his nose and noticed the dampness there. He looked at his fingers. _'Ah crap.' _

From the corner of his eye, he saw Sakura slowly standing up, as well as Sai. But what really caught his attention was Sasuke already making his way towards him. Naruto panicked at that and hastily wiped the blood off his nose; but it was useless. The blood continued to flow down, steadily dripping down his face like a goddamn faucet. He scrambled up immediately and stepped back, staggering a bit at his movements.

"It's alright, Sakura-chan," he reassured her, clamping an arm over the lower part of his face. "I was picking my nose earlier…"

He mentally kicked himself. That was lame.

"Or it's the hot weather." Naruto said, his voice muffled by his sleeves. "Hey Sai, throw me a cloth here will you."

Sai did. Naruto scrubbed his nose frantically with the cloth, hoping the flowing would stop, but it didn't. _'Shit shit shit shit.'_ He cursed repeatedly in his head.

A shadow loomed near him. He looked up and saw someone's broad back in front of him. Naruto blinked in surprise. It was Sai's.

"Hey what—"

"Sai. Sasuke." Kakashi called out from the back. His voice sounded serious again. "You two, don't start again."

'_Again?'_

It was at this moment that Naruto finally saw him up close. Sasuke's narrowed eyes were locked on Sai's. It must have been his imagination but Naruto almost thought he saw flecks of red slowly taint the rogue-nin's deep dark eyes. Suddenly, a feeling of déjà vu washed over him. This has happened before, back in the old hospital. Utterly confused, he looked at Kakashi, hoping to get some enlightenment on what's happening, but even the listless jounin suddenly seemed on high alert; his attention focused solely on the two ravens currently having a stare-down.

"Uh guys…" Naruto started.

"Step aside." Sasuke hissed through gritted teeth. It sounded raw, feral, and Naruto almost flinched at the fury in his tone. The Uchiha's jaws were taut, one hand inching closer to the sword at his back.

"Make me, _traitor._" Cold. Sai's voice fell like ice.

"Whoa, whoa, guys." Naruto said, immediately placing himself between the two dark-haired ninjas, arms extended. "I don't know what's happening here but I do know where this is going."

"Why can't we talk this over?" he asked, feeling blood still dripping shamelessly down his nose. He ignored it. His eyes darted from Sai to Sasuke, hoping for any response. But there was none. "No?"

_Great. Oh just… great._

Seeing no hope in the situation, Naruto faced Sai fully; tapping the other's shoulders a couple times to get his attention. "Oi Sai, chill out, okay? We're going."

"Sensei!" Naruto called out as he grabbed the ROOT member's arm and started walking away from the group. "This guy needs to cool off so, uh, we have to go. We'll be back. Don't wait for us."

And with that, the two disappeared into the forest.

Warily, Kakashi glanced back at Sasuke.

The Uchiha's back has gone impossibly rigid; one hand still hanging in the air inches away from his sword; his gaze still fixed at the spot where the two has gone off to. For a moment, the jounin thought that the rogue-nin would follow. He almost let out a sigh of relief when the latter just clenched his fists hard, and without sparing them a glance, stalked off to another direction.

* * *

"Okay, now talk," Naruto demanded as he let go of the pale man's arm. He wiped the remaining blood on his face before facing the other man fully.

Sai did not answer; his eyes looking into the distance. Frustrated, the blond moved closer.

"Oi, answer me. What's going on between you two, huh? I know you got some issues to settle with the bastard but _this_." Naruto paused, finding the right words to say. "It almost… It almost looked like you want to cut each other's head off."

"Yes."

"Eh?"

"I do want to cut his head off. Decapitate him literally, if that's what you mean." Sai said evenly. But even then, his eyes, Naruto noticed, have grown darker and more intense with every word.

"Then sever his head to pieces and—"

"Okay stop." Naruto ground out, unable to stomach the words any longer. "I get it, you hate him."

"I do."

"…I know I'll regret this, but can I ask why?"

The answer was spoken so quickly and confidently that Naruto was left gaping at the other for a long while.

"Because he _hurt_ you."

"…."

"…And he's still hurting you." Sai gritted the words out and as he spoke, the muscles in his jaw began to clench. "I will never forgive him for that."

The blond's lips moved to deny it but no sound came out. It was as if his throat has closed off. He stood riveted to his spot, feeling the stab of every word. Sai was staring at him so intensely that it's taking all of his resolve not to look away.

A chilly night wind breezed through them but neither of them felt it.

Naruto's gaze finally wavered and fell to the ground.

For a very long time, neither of them spoke.

And then, the blond gave a low, raspy chuckle. "Yeah right. As if I'm gonna let that bastard hurt me." His eyes held no mirth as he stared back at the pale man. "Heh. You got it all wrong, Sai…

…I am the one hurting him, not the other way around."

"Naruto—"

"I chased after him for years, Sai…"

The blond looked up to the skies. His voice was softer as he spoke, tinged with memory and a bit of sadness. "I never cared for his reasons, nor did I ever give him a chance to explain. I just followed what I had to do. I had to bring him back. It's not just a promise. I _wanted_ to bring him back."

"We fought every single time we meet. I thought that as long I have my reasons, I can keep on fighting. That I can win eventually. And I did. I brought him back. I brought the bastard home. In one piece. I fulfilled my promise. I was… happy."

Here, Naruto paused. He felt his throat constrict but he went on.

"Not knowing, not caring how he felt about all these… I forced him to go back – back to the place that betrayed and murdered his family; back to the place where everyone now hates him. I spat out his reasons on his face; trampled on them like they meant nothing. His feelings, I didn't even ask. I didn't even care."

"…."

"Now, the Council's forcing him to control the Kyuubi to save the village. To stop the bastard fox from wreaking havoc again." The blond laughed bitterly at this. "Ironic, right? He's saving the village he wants nothing more but to destroy. He can't kill me now. In fact, he's being forced to help me. I am like a goddamn weakness flaunted right before his eyes. A _fucking_ embodiment of everything he hates, of everything that destroyed his life, of everything he can never have again. And he can't even do anything about it. He can't, Sai, and it's killing him. I know it's killing him. And it's all my fault."

When he spoke again, his voice was choked up, forced.

"I… did all these just so he can stay by my side. This is what I want, what I always wanted. I'm the one who's forcing him. I'm the one hurting him…"

"…."

Naruto looked down, hands balling into fists. Trembling. "…So tell me Sai, who's the unforgivable one here? Who—"

He didn't get to finish it as the other suddenly pulled him close and embraced him.

"Stop it." The other voiced firmly.

"…Sai?" Naruto blinked, dazed; feeling the hands tightening around his back. He stiffened under the hold but he forced himself not to move.

"You tried to save him. And you did. Now stop this."

The words sank in slowly and once they did, Naruto couldn't find the strength to say anything. For a moment, silence settled in.

"Oi…" Naruto started after a while. He pushed himself gently off the other.

"Let's talk about something else, can we? I don't… really like talking about this. I'm not good with this… stuff, you know. _Aaaand_, the whole point of this is to get you to calm down. You were ready to get all ape-shit on the bastard," the blond gave a short laugh, casually lacing his hands behind his head. "Damn, seriously dude, both of you looked intimidating back there."

"Hm." The pale man looked contemplative for a moment; then he spoke, "What do you suggest then?"

"Well, uh, I don't know. I guess, you do something that calms you down – something that takes your mind off things. Something like…" Naruto trailed off, thinking. "Oh I know. Why don't you take out your artsy stuff and draw something, Sai? Anything!"

Sai glanced around. They're now in some sort of grassland in the middle of the forest. There are some boulders scattered around the clearing, but other than that, there was nothing else. Not even a body of water. Even the night skies are clouded, concealing the moon and the stars.

"There is… nothing to draw here," Sai observed.

"Yeah I guess you're right," Naruto agreed, finding nothing interesting in their surroundings.

"Or we could just sit here…" Naruto said, falling on the grass. He crossed his legs and stretched his arms high above his head, grunting as his back made an audible popping sound.

Sai remained standing, looking at the blond with a slightly confused expression.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at this. He patted the ground beside him. "Oi Sai. Don't just stand there. Sit."

The blond didn't miss the slight widening of the pale man's eyes. Sai did appear confused but Naruto was relieved when he complied all the same. Sai took hesitant steps towards the blond and sat, crossing his legs as well.

"If you don't want to talk, it's okay." Naruto mumbled, looking off into the distance before focusing on the pale man again. "We can just wait here until you feel better."

The other nodded curtly. Satisfied, Naruto leaned backwards on his hands and gazed up wistfully at the skies.

A long moment of silence passed then he heard some shuffling at his side. Naruto glanced back at Sai and noticed that the latter has taken out his small notebook and a black-coated pencil. Sai stared at the blank page for a minute, his gloved hand stroking the surface as if straightening the paper. After that, he started to sketch.

Dazedly, Naruto watched the pencil as it moved across the surface of the paper, making soft lines and curves.

"What are you drawing?" Naruto asked, not really expecting an answer. His eyes were focused on the outline of the figure being drawn on the paper. The soft stroking sounds of the pencil gliding smoothly across the rough page were somewhat calming to his ears.

"…You are particularly difficult to draw, Naruto," Sai spoke after a while.

Naruto blinked. He wasn't expecting that. Slowly, his eyes traveled back to the pale man's face. "Huh, me? Why?"

There was a long pause before Sai gave his reply.

"For one, you have a lot of expressions…" Sai explained. "And they change too quickly. One moment you are furious, and then suddenly you are grinning like an idiot again. You are an extremely volatile person. Unpredictable. You cry a lot too. You are loud, speak too much and leave your mouth hanging open all the time. It's hard to draw a picture of that."

"Oi…" The blond bristled at the insults but said nothing more.

"In lieu with that, you rarely stay still." Sai continued, not heeding the scowl on the blond's face. "You do not have a specific pose. You move a lot. Your movements are rough and erratic and you are extremely clumsy. When I first met you, I was surprised you are even a ninja… and I still am. Very much so. You are a paradox to the whole ninja principles."

Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but closed it soon after when he realized there really was nothing he could say to that. He just waited for the other to continue, listening with rapt attention; his gaze now fixed at the form slowly being revealed on Sai's notebook.

"…But now, it's different." Sai was now darkening the outlines of the drawing. The pencil was gripped tighter, the strokes becoming more prominent. "You look different."

"Huh?"

Sai was now shading, putting a bit of shadow on some areas of the drawing, especially the face. He continued after a while. "While you were talking earlier, you only have one expression on your face. I noticed that it didn't change all throughout. "

"…."

"I don't know what to call it. I have no word for this expression. I believe I haven't come across this in my texts." Sai murmured softly as he looked at the finished product. His fingers brushed the dirt gently from the page.

"Here," the pale man offered the notebook to the blond.

Naruto took it; his eyes widening when he gaze at the finished drawing.

"This… is me." he murmured.

"Yes, it is." Sai replied. "That is your expression earlier, Naruto."

Naruto unconsciously gripped the edge of the page. He had seen this look so many times in the past.

Eyes tinged with desperation looking off into the distance.

It was the picture of someone yearning for something… _he knows he could never have._

"Why…?" Naruto heard himself ask, his voice ragged.

Sai was looking directly at him. "I observed that you only have that expression when it's about _him._ When you're talking about him, or when he's around. It never changes. _You_ never change."

"I told you I don't want to talk about it." He gritted out.

One gloved hand suddenly reached out and touched his face. Stunned, the blond didn't move.

"I do not understand." Sai murmured; the confusion palpable in his voice.

"What—?"

Before he could finish, the gloved hand moved and covered the blond's eyes. Naruto instinctively grabbed the other's wrist and tried to remove it from his face. But the other's hold was firm.

"He's here now, and you're still chasing after him. Trying to get his attention. Like a child grabbing for scraps of food." Sai whispered fiercely.

Naruto froze, feeling as if the words have punched him on the face.

"He does not want you. He will _never _want you, Naruto."

"…."

"Whatever you do, he will always hate you."

"I… _know_." the blond hissed, tightening his hold on the other's wrist, but he couldn't find the strength to pry it away. "I fucking know that."

"Stop chasing after him. Stop thinking about him." Sai was so close now. Naruto could feel the warm breaths bouncing off his face, but he doesn't know why he's rooted to his spot, unable to move away.

"Just stop it." It sounded like an order but there's a hint of hurt and bitterness in the pale man's voice. Naruto swallowed hard at this but the lump in his throat remained.

"S-Sai…"

"Just don't think." Sai murmured. "Don't think anymore."

And at that, Naruto felt something warm and moist suddenly pressed to his lips. He gasped, knowing what it is. He felt his jaw twitch and eventually tighten. His mind blanched; his heart pounded once then it stopped. It stopped. At that moment, everything seemed to stop.

As the other's lips lingered on his, Naruto's hold on the other's wrist slowly loosened… until he let go completely. His rigid shoulders sagged. At that moment, he felt as though his world, everything around him has dissolved. His eyelids felt heavy… and he closed his eyes.

Vaguely, he felt Sai inched closer, and the kiss deepened. A breath of wind shook the leaves of the nearby trees but neither seemed to have heard it.

For a long while, they remained connected. Neither of them moved nor breathed.

Then slowly, very slowly, Sai pulled away. In a daze, Naruto could only stare at Sai's face, feeling something stir in him when he saw his image reflected on the other man's ebony eyes.

"You're bleeding." Sai said suddenly, his brows drawn together. "Dickless, your nose is bleeding again."

Naruto blinked. He touched the skin under his nose, feeling the dampness there. "Crap," he said as he wiped his nose with his sleeves. Blue eyes promptly glanced around the area, searching for something. "The cloth. Damn it, I must have dropped it."

Naruto could feel the other boring holes into his head but he refused to look. He attempted to stand up but the sudden weight on his shoulder stopped him.

"Stay here." Sai said as he stood up. "I'll get another one and ask Sakura if she has any medication for it."

"Are you kidding me? It's just a nosebleed, Sai. No need to get worked up on it—"

"Just don't move." Sai said firmly. "And don't lie down or the blood will run down your throat."

"Hey, I know that!"

Sai ran his eyes over him, a faint but real smile playing over his lips. "Somehow, I highly doubt that, dickless."

"Hey! Stop calling me that!" The blond shouted angrily.

The smile on the pale man's face lingered a bit more before it faded.

"Will you be alright?" Sai asked.

"Go." Naruto muttered as he looked away. He dropped his gaze, focusing on the grass-covered ground beneath his feet. He couldn't stand to face the other's worried stare directed at him. He never felt so weak. He hoped the others would just let it slide, attributing all his symptoms to his barely-healed wounds.

He heard steps approaching him. Naruto frowned. "Just go, Sai. I'll be fine. Geez."

The footsteps stopped. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the steps finally leaving.

When the other was gone, the blond tucked his chin on his chest, letting the blood flow freely from his face and onto the ground. He stared as his blood slowly pool around his ankles. "Hey look at that, it's a mini-lake," he muttered dazedly, laughing to himself. He could feel a bout of lightheadedness beginning to set in. He tried hard to ignore it but the pulse in his head is getting louder.

He pressed a palm on his temple and tried to lean back slightly. _Tried._

It took him a moment to realize that his body's falling backwards—and he couldn't stop it. He grunted when his back met the moist soft ground.

"_Fuck_, my head is killing me." The blond gritted out, now pressing both palms against his eye sockets. He failed to sense another chakra signature closing in. He only felt it when the shadow loomed over him.

"Oh. That was fast, Sai."

Naruto quickly wiped the blood smear on his face. He opened his eyes – and felt his heart literally stopped in his chest when he saw spinning _Sharingan_ eyes staring down at him.

* * *

The blond quickly pushed himself off the ground but before he could fully stand up, the other has crouched down, grasped his shoulder tightly and forced him back down. He cursed loudly.

"Oi what's the big idea _teme—_?" he ground out.

"What's wrong with you?" The Uchiha asked, his voice lower, grim.

Naruto barely registered the question. He jerked hard, struggling to break free from the grasp but the other's grip merely tightened, fingers digging into his shoulder.

"Let me go—" Naruto shouted. When the other didn't, he raised a leg and directed it to the other's face. Sasuke didn't even break eye contact as he gripped the blond's leg and shoved it back to the ground. Naruto winced at the nails burying themselves into his thighs.

"I ask again, Naruto," Sasuke hissed, his face moving closer. The blond promptly looked away. "What the _fuck_ is wrong with you? Your seal—"

"Nothing!" The blond thrashed wildly in his grasp, panicking at the thought that the other could go into his mind. He didn't trust the demon's words completely but the idea of the Uchiha digging into his head and finding out everything was something he couldn't bear.

At his useless attempts, Naruto began to breathe raggedly. Aside from the raven's hold on him, he was also fighting the nausea and the throbbing pain in his head. He gritted his teeth, feeling vomit rise in his throat.

'_Oh I'm so going to throw up and it'll be on your face, you bastard,' _Naruto thought weakly. His movements have slowed down; his whole body sagging more to the ground as his earlier strength faded away. The other must have realized this and loosened his hold, though he still did not let go.

"Oi… get off." The blond said, still looking at the spot next to Sasuke's foot.

"No."

"I said, get off me you bastard." The blond repeated lowly but there was hardly any grit in his voice.

The raven's face lowered even more. Even through the haze of the pain, Naruto felt his breath hitch.

"Just tell me… what is wrong with you." Sasuke asked, a hint of desperation in his tone.

Blue eyes widened at that and before he could stop himself, Naruto turned his head to face the other.

The raven's face almost gave nothing away. It was his narrowed eyes and thinly pursed lips that betrayed him. The raven's eyes which have lapsed into black were now looking intently at him. If Naruto could have allowed himself a bit of delusion, he could've said that those eyes were conveying concern.

"There's nothing wrong with me—"

Naruto stopped when the hand that gripped his shoulder travel to his face; Sasuke's thumb was stroking the skin under his nose. He felt his heart sinking when he thought of the dry blood still smeared disgustingly on his face.

"You bled again," the other voiced. "Are you hurting?"

If he doubted the hint of concern in the Uchiha's voice earlier, Naruto doesn't now. Sasuke's voice sounded so gentle and worried that he couldn't even believe it himself.

"Your wounds…" Sasuke's hands flew to the blond's jacket, intending to open it, but tan hands shoved them away.

"…No." Naruto heard himself say. "No I'm fine. Don't touch me."

"Naruto." Sasuke's brows were drawn down. With their closeness, Naruto could hear the raven's teeth clenching behind his lips. His face has contorted slightly. Clearly, he's not buying it. "Tell me," he repeated.

'_Please stop this.' _Naruto pleaded in his head. _'Why are you doing this?'_

"…."

"Naruto." A warning tone.

The blond shook his head, desperately willing the image and voice of the Uchiha out of his head.

'_Don't do this. Don't sound like that. Don't fucking look like that. Please. I'll… fall for you even more. I can't…'_

"No. Nothing. I'm fine." Naruto ground out.

There was a pause. A moment of weighty, unbearable silence settled in, and if Naruto has learned from past experiences, this was never a good thing between them. He should've realized what's bound to happen next. At that moment, he should've struggled harder.

"I gave you a chance to explain." An unreadable expression crossed Sasuke's face. "You didn't take it."

Naruto felt the hand on his face moved lower. His eyes widened when that same hand gripped the edge of his jacket and pulled it up.

"Now I'm going to find out myself."

Before he could react, the pale fingers glowed black and rammed into his stomach. The hand turned, the seal was activated, and Naruto screamed.

* * *

(TBC)

**A/N: **I'm so sorry, really really sorry for the delay.

Still, thank you so much for reading!

*Kyuubi's warning will be expounded next chapter.

*Kakashi doesn't know. His intuition is just dead-on all the time.


	17. Shattering

_And your world will __**burn**_

* * *

**Chapter 17: Shattering**

Without warning, the pale hand descended and cool fingers dug into his stomach. He panicked. On reflex, his body thrashed wildly, struggling desperately to remove the hand. _'No, stop!' _He shouted in his head. _'What the hell are you doing?'_

"…!"

The blue eyes widened in shock as the cold hand turned and activated the cursed seal. He felt chakra bubbled heatedly inside his stomach. He screamed. Something lit up in his vision— hazy red and black filled his sight—and Naruto's consciousness was pushed back into the demon's lair.

* * *

_He opened his eyes to see bubbles surrounding him. A feeling of dread washed over him as he looked around. He's in the cursed chamber again but this time, Naruto found himself deep in scalding water. He winced at the burning feel of the liquid against his skin; red chakra bubbles scattered around him. _

_Adjusting his stance, he pushed himself immediately to the surface._

_Just as his head emerged from the water, a deafening roar shook the whole chamber and sent huge ripples across the surface. _

"_**UCHIHA." **__He heard the demon fox roar; its voice filled with contempt. _

_He fixed his eyes ahead and saw his rival very close to the demon's cage. Sasuke was standing above water, facing the Kyuubi directly._

_The fox's eyes were narrowed dangerously as it stared back at the Uchiha, all its teeth bared in sheer hostility. Naruto swallowed thickly. A loud heartbeat pounded in his ears._

_Ba-thump._

_Unfazed, the rogue-nin dared to move forward. The Kyuubi growled again, its fangs growing and protruding way past its darkened lips, red pupils thinning even more. Dark crimson chakra began to creep out of the cage and proceeded to where the rogue-nin stood. Naruto stared in horror as the chakra bubbles multiplied and encircled his teammate._

_'No, stop...!'_

_A steep intake of breath and Naruto threw all caution and rushed towards the cage._

"_Wait Kyuubi, no!" The blond shouted hysterically. _

_Everything felt so __excruciatingly__ slow as Naruto ran above water as fast as he could. In desperation, he extended his hands to reach his teammate but it was no use. He couldn't reach him. He was still so far. So __damn __far._

"_Sasuke, get away!" Naruto shouted. _

_The demonic chakra enveloped the Uchiha completely and all Naruto could see was red, red, __**red**__._

"_NO!" Naruto screamed; eyes burning as he formed a__ Rasengan__ in one hand and charged at the Kyuubi. But before he could reach the iron bars, the dark red chakra rushed towards him._

"_**You." **__The Kyuubi roared._

_The chakra shoved him back to the wall. It pinned him there and Naruto screamed violently as he felt it burn through his clothes..._

"_**You. Burn."**_

…and he was forced to wake up.

* * *

Blue eyes opened instantly. Naruto pushed himself immediately away from the other.

_'Damn it, sharingan!' _He cursed as the realization hit him full force. He closed his eyes tight, clenching his fists hard as he tried to calm himself – as he struggled _so hard_ to rein in the intensifying urge to pound the ground repeatedly in anger. _'Damn it, damn it, damn it!'_

He sensed a movement near him.

"Don't." Naruto gritted out. "_Fucking_ don't, Uchiha."

The other didn't stop. Naruto instinctively recoiled at the approaching rogue-nin.

"Don't come near me. Stay the fuck away."

When the raven still didn't, Naruto quickly scrambled to his feet, staggering a little to regain his balance. He fixed his eyes on the ground as he retreated clumsily. He didn't get far though as a hand reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Stop." He heard the other murmur.

Naruto didn't and tried to shake the hand off but the grip was tight. Just as he lifted a hand to remove it— blue eyes finally turned to look. Naruto felt his heart stop beating at once.

Sasuke's hand was burnt. It was scalded, red and swelling. Naruto swallowed hard, another painful realization dawning on him. _'I... I did this?'_

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to remember anything. But there was nothing. He only felt enormous amount of chakra pool inside his gut. Then that burning sensation in his skin, then _nothing._

"I... I don't..." Naruto started. He knew it wasn't his fault but there's the feeling of guilt in his heart beginning to overwhelm everything else. _He did this. _

He heard the other say his name, but Naruto only shook his head.

"Naruto."

Again. The voice was nearer this time, softer, but Naruto didn't pay heed to it. He shoved the other's hand away... and without saying anything or even looking back, he ran.

He didn't look back nor slow down. He just ran as fast as he could away from the other. Everything around him was reduced into a blur as he ran so hard and fast until he could barely feel his legs, until his lungs burned and he could no longer breathe.

A few more seconds passed and he collapsed onto the ground. He clutched his chest as he struggled to catch his breath. And this time, he did pound the ground with his fists. Repeatedly. With all his might. In all his anger. And as he hammered the ground with his hands, furious curses flew past his lips. He could feel his eyes burning up and though he wiped them away, wet warm tears fell down anyway. He cried. And he laughed bitterly. And he cried again.

'_Damn you, Sasuke. Goddamn you…'_

"I'm sorry."

* * *

Stunned silence greeted him when he went back to the camp. Sai and Sakura were both looking at him with wide eyes. Their jounin instructor was not in the area. As well as Sasuke. Naruto breathed out a sigh of relief at that.

Naruto smiled at his two teammates and proceeded to where he last saw his things. He still needed to set up his tent.

"What are you doing?"

Sai was in front of him at once. Naruto unconsciously stepped back.

"I told you to stay there."

"I know, Sai but I'm fine now, see?" Naruto gave a small smile at the other. "And besides, you were taking _so_ long. I got bored and—"

"That does not matter. You shouldn't have moved, idiot." Sai chastised.

"Hey! Don't call me that—!"

"Naruto..." Sakura interrupted. She stood up and faced the blond, looking worried. "Sai told me. Are you really feeling okay? Please tell us if there are other things you've been experiencing."

"Nothing Sakura-chan! Believe me, it's nothing! I'm fine. Everything's fine. It's just a goddamned nosebleed. Seriously guys, don't worry too much about it." Naruto chuckled, scratching his cheek out of habit. The two continued to stare at him.

Feeling rather uneasy, Naruto glanced around the area, noticing that the camp fire had been put out and there are tents already set up around it.

"And uh, I think I should set up my own tent now," he murmured.

"Idiot." Sai repeated, a hint of disapproval in his tone.

The blond just scowled at that, not having the strength to retort and just returned to his things. His eyes widened however when he couldn't find them. "Uh, where are my-?"

A hand suddenly grabbed his and he was dragged.

"Oi, Sai. What-?"

"Here." The man showed him an already set-up tent—_his_ tent. Naruto gaped, disbelieving his eyes. _'No way.' _

"Sai already assembled yours." Sakura said. She nudged the pale man, a teasing smile on her face. "He said you might not be feeling good so he's the one who set it up."

"Y-You did?" Naruto asked rhetorically. "Oh dude, that's awesome!"

And with that, the blond's face lit up. He gave the pale man a brief yet tight hug, grinning widely. "Thanks man."

There was a pause before a silent "You're welcome" was heard. Naruto's smile grew. He patted the man's shoulder a few times. Surprisingly, Sai responded with a smile of his own. It was small but it was there and his eyes were warm.

"So what time do I take the shift?" Naruto asked as he crouched down to his tent.

Sakura fixed him a look. "You don't, stupid. Leave this to us and get some rest."

"Huh? But I..."

"That's it, Naruto. End of discussion."

The blond frowned at that. "But that's unfair, Sakura-chan. I'm already fine—"

A vein throbbed in the medic-nin's temple. "I swear, you idiot..." Sakura cracked her knuckles, impatience lining her voice. "Another word from you and I'll be the one putting you to sleep. You want that?"

"Okay! Sleeping it is! Good night, guys!" Naruto said as he hurriedly went inside the tent.

Sakura smiled at the instant reaction. She flicked her hair in relish. "What an idiot."

Sai on the other hand, shook his head. "Dickless," he mumbled softly.

A chilly night breeze blew through the trees, shaking the leaves. Cold air settled between them. It was a cold, cold night. The two ninjas exchanged thoughtful glances. Pale lips parted and a word was whispered against the darkness. The medic-nin's lips pursed thinly in understanding. She looked at the man with a grim expression before she closed her eyes and shook her head slowly.

Both of them were no longer smiling.

* * *

Another thick branch crunched loudly beneath his foot. It parted in half before it dropped to the ground with a loud thud. Dark eyes were focused onwards, paying no heed to the trail of branches that lay broken in his wake. Lost was the fluidity of movements that he's been known for. Every landing was heavy, violent, and he didn't even try to mask the sound. Didn't even try to stop the sporadic flaring of his chakra. It burst out violently in almost every landing. Everything that lies in his path would surely be crushed.

He sensed a familiar menacing chakra signature approaching. He stopped at once. Once he located the direction of the other, he landed onto the ground, his feet burrowing deep into the earth.

"My, my. Aren't we mad?" The other greeted, landing as well. But his was silent. "I can sense your foreboding aura a hundred miles away, my dear nephew. What seems to be the proble-?"

"What's _**wrong**_ with him?" Sasuke demanded. His crimson eyes were narrowed and glaring right at the older Uchiha.

One visible eye blinked at the abrupt question. The masked man tilted his head childishly. "_Him_? Who are we talking about?"

The young Uchiha didn't answer, but his glare intensified.

Intrigued, the masked man's visible eye traveled to the fresh wound on the young Uchiha's hand. The flesh was burnt; the swelling redness of the injury a stark contrast to the pallid flesh. It was too noticeable. Beneath the dubious mask, the Uchiha's lips twisted menacingly. "What an awful wound you have there, Sasuke-kun. Pray tell me how you got that?"

"..."

The thinning of the other's eyes was his only response. Madara's smile deepened even more. "The demon's chakra perhaps?"

"The seal." Sasuke growled out, impatience thick in his voice. "It's not working."

"Oh it is, Sasuke-kun_. _It's weak, very_ weak_, but I assure you," the older one replied, "It's still working."

"No it isn't. I _felt_ it." The rogue-nin hissed. "It's right there. Just inside his _fucking_ stomach. The demon's chakra. Not in the cage, but just inside him."

One second… and then a hollow, sadistic laughter rang in the forest. The older man clutched his stomach in an exaggerated display of mirth. Sasuke's shoulders grew rigid; his eyes narrowing as he stared at the older man suspiciously.

"All those accumulated demonic chakra just below your fingertips. Like a ticking bomb waiting to explode, yes?" Madara asked. "I wonder how that felt like."

"Just spit it out, Madara. What's happening? What's wrong with the seal?"

"Isn't it already obvious?"

"…."

The elder wagged his index finger playfully at the other. "I've told you before, Sasuke-kun. The cursed seal is already very weak. Are you not listening to me?"

When the other didn't respond, Madara sighed dramatically then continued, "But it's not the seal that you should be concerned about."

"What do you mean?"

"My dear nephew, do you remember why the Council had let you live, despite all your crimes?"

"…."

"Because are the only one capable of restraining the demon. Capable of controlling the demon's lethal chakra from seeping out the vessel."

"I know that. Get to the point."

Madara ignored the insolence and continued, "And you did. Just as I've told you, you obeyed and locked all those chakra in. You've trapped all those lethal chakra in. Right inside the host's body."

At that, Sasuke's blood ran cold. He finally understood where this is going.

The elder tilted his head, a vicious smile forming beneath the mask.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun. I know fire is your element, but have you experienced being burned... inside?" Madara licked his lips slowly. "I've been burnt so many times but it would be nothing compared to—"

A loud, crunching sound resounded in the area. Sasuke's clenched fist had impaled the tree beside him, creating a huge, gaping hole at the trunk. There was an eerie creaking sound before the pitiful tree slowly dropped to the ground. The loud, rumbling thud was lost in the denseness of the forest. Everyone stood still.

"Lying..." Sasuke growled out. He was shaking his head now; his gaze lowered to the ground as his wounded hand trembled at his side. "You're lying."

"The seal's already too weak to restrain the demon chakra inside the cursed chamber. And since it's forcefully locked in, there's no other place it would go." Madara expounded.

"..."

"Pity. All that power and it's eating away the vessel. The demon's chakra burning him." Madara's visible eye grew serious. "Sasuke, this is getting out of hand. I can't have the Jinchuuriki dying before my plan-"

"Stop talking." Sasuke gritted out, his dark chakra flaring ominously once again. His Sharingan have gone out of control, _tomoes_ spinning wildly in his eyes.

"Sasuke…"

"Shut up!"

The elder stilled at that. He looked at the young Uchiha, a bit perturbed.

"Naruto... He's not..." And the pale jaw clenched, and the wounded arm won't stop shaking."He's not dying. That is not happening."

"..."

"He'll die by my hands and my hands alone." Sasuke ground out. His face was contorted. He looked delirious, and the elder almost took a step back.

"No one else's. Not the demon's, not yours, no one else's but mine! _**He's mine**_. No one can hurt him. No one can touch him but me."

"…."

It took a while before the elder found his voice. "What... are you saying, Sasuke?" He asked lowly. "What is the meaning of this? Are you—"

"Stay away." Sasuke warned finally, voice dripping with venom. "Go near him, and I will kill you." He glowered at the elder one last time before he turned away and stormed off.

Madara can only watch as the other disappeared into the forest. Beneath the mask, his mouth hung open in shock. He was not expecting this. Not this time. Not now that he's too close to his goal. The most important piece of his plan—his trump card—just betrayed him. Just turned his back at him. This is not acceptable. The elder Uchiha clenched his fists in anger.

"I don't care what going on in that head of yours, Sasuke but you will not betray me. You _will_ accomplish your task." Madara whispered threateningly against the darkness.

"Or I will."

And with those final words, Uchiha Madara vanished quietly into the night. Leaves danced around the place where he stood, but he was long gone.

* * *

Naruto tossed and turned on his make-shift bed. He was so tired earlier that he thought he could sleep the night away. He had only slept for a few minutes before he was awoken by something. And after that, he couldn't sleep again. He tried to so hard but for some reason, sleep eluded him. He has been staring at the tent ceiling for an hour now. Grumbling a curse, he finally sat up.

He yawned as he picked up his jacket from the floor. He'd taken it out because of the heat. He had the mind to take off his shirt as well but remembering how his female teammate used to visit him at nights, he dropped the idea immediately. Wiping the thick layer of sweat on his forehead, he proceeded outside.

It's still night, as expected. He glanced around as he stretched his arms high above his head.

"Can't sleep?"

Naruto's heart missed a beat at that. He glared at the sudden intrusion. "Damn it, Kakashi-sensei! Don't just sneak up on people like that! You scared the hell out of me. Again!"

The copy-nin only raised an eyebrow at that. He landed silently near the blond. "You're a ninja, Naruto. Shouldn't you be more...?"

"I know, I know!" Naruto grunted in frustration. "I'm just feeling edgy nowadays so I appreciate it if you stop doing that."

"I see..." Kakashi mumbled. He tilted his head to look at the blond. "So, having trouble sleeping?"

"Yeah." Naruto replied, staring off into the distance. "Must be because I've been knocked out most of the time today. I've been practically sleeping the whole day, you know." And the blond gave a chuckle at that. "Come to think of it, this escape mission isn't half that bad. Been getting more sleep than usual."

"That's good to hear, Naruto," Kakashi commented. He slid his hands in his pockets and assumed a more casual stance. The copy-nin looked as laid-back as ever. But even with the seemingly calm exterior, Naruto knew that the other's watching him intently. Whenever he's around the intuitive adult, he could sense a thousand questions lingering in the air. An odd, heavy feeling would always settle between them.

Trying to look less tensed than usual. Naruto laced his fingers casually behind his head. "So," the blond started. "Nice night, huh?"

Silence.

The blond cleared his throat quite loudly, feeling the tension increase tenfold. That was an awfully lame conversation starter.

Kakashi gave a soft hum. He replied after a while. "Yes, it's quite nice."

"Huh?" The blond blinked at that, confused. He looked back at the jounin. Their eyes met again.

"The night, I mean." Kakashi continued.

Naruto mentally kicked himself. "Oh yeah, right. Wonderful night." The blond laughed again but even to his ears, it sounded too forced.

A heavy bout of silence descended upon them once again. Naruto fought the urge to crawl back into his tent, if only to escape this uncomfortable situation.

Just as he's about to say something again, the jounin walked towards the campfire. He seated himself on a log next to it and motioned to the blond. Naruto hesitated, but he gave in soon after and followed.

_'Oh crap, we're sitting. This is going to be a loooong night.' _Naruto thought helplessly.

He was proven wrong though when the jounin merely started the fire and brought out a green book. Naruto gaped at that. _'That's a new volume_. _Seriously, how many of those books did he bring?'_

But then, a small grin formed on the blond's face. He felt a bit relieved. He never loved that book more than this day. At least, there's a distraction. A pang of sadness gripped his heart when he was reminded of his Ero-sensei. The smile on his face did not last very long.

To distract himself, Naruto carried his sight towards the fire. He stared at it, gradually losing himself in his thoughts. For everything that's been revealed today, whether they're true or not, he should have been more averse to fire but for some reason, he doesn't feel like it. No matter how destructive it is, fire had always been beautiful.

Naruto extended a hand, watching the flames crackling through the spaces between his fingers. The orange flames were reflected so clearly in his blue eyes. Mesmerized by the sight, he barely felt the sweltering heat against the skin of his palm.

"It's cold, isn't it?" Kakashi suddenly asked.

"...Yeah," Naruto lied, thinking that the jounin must have noticed his extended hand.

"You should put on your jacket then."

Naruto's eyes widened at that. He had completely forgotten about the jacket currently discarded at his side.

"Oh... yeah. Great idea." The blond mumbled as he quickly put the jacket on; his shaky fingers fumbling impatiently with the zippers. He could feel the jounin's eyes focused on him. He heard a turn of a page just as he lifted his head.

"Sensei." Naruto finally said. He couldn't take this anymore. "What's the problem?"

The jounin brought down his book. "I don't know, Naruto. Why don't you tell me?"

The blond swallowed thickly at the low tone. Another flip of the page and blue eyes finally looked directly at the jounin's. "There really is no problem, Sensei—"

"I felt it, Naruto." The jounin interrupted. "Kyuubi."

"...!"

The blond froze at that.

"Oh," was all he managed to say as he stared back at the jounin, fighting the urge to look away. He should've expected it. The clearing was quite close to the camp. He should have been more surprised if the esteemed jounin did not sense it. He waited with bated breath for the "what happened or why" question but surprisingly, it never came. Kakashi refocused his attention on the book... and neither of them spoke for a quite a while.

It didn't take long before Naruto finally realized what his instructor was doing. He's waiting—giving him a chance to explain his side and it was Naruto's discretion if he would choose to do so. Vaguely, this reminded him of what happened earlier with the Uchiha. This time, Naruto hoped that whatever his choice will be, he would not regret it.

"I... I overreacted. It was no big deal." he mumbled silently.

"Really?" Kakashi asked suspiciously.

Naruto didn't answer. His eyes scanned the area cautiously.

"He's not here, Naruto."

"Eh?" the blond gaped at the other, confused.

"Sasuke." Kakashi continued. "You're looking for him, right? Well, he's not here. It's his shift. He's securing the perimeters as of the moment."

Naruto's jaw almost dropped to the ground. _'How could he possibly know that?''_

"I told you before, Naruto. You are incredibly easy to read." Another flip of the page. Kakashi's eyes went back to the book. "Does this concern him? Is he the reason for your… overreaction?" he prodded.

'_Deny it,' _his mind told him but Naruto's mouth has always been faster. "Yeah, that bastard. It's his goddamned fault," he grumbled.

"Hm. Why?" Kakashi asked.

Seeing that he can't take back the words anymore, Naruto sighed resignedly and dropped his gaze to the ground. There's no way out of this so he might as well come clean now.

"He touched the seal, Sensei." Naruto mumbled as he scratched his scalp furiously. "That stupid, _stupid _bastard. What is wrong with him?"

"…."

Kakashi didn't say anything and Naruto continued. "I don't know why he did that! He was asking these… these weird questions and then suddenly he activated the seal. Just like that, Sensei. He _fucking_ just activated the cursed seal.

...And then I… I felt weird all of a sudden and everything turned red and…"

"…."

"Damn it, I panicked." Naruto's voice cracked. "And I lost control. I don't know what I did. I don't know what happened. I just remembered feeling something burning here." Naruto said as he placed a hand over his stomach. "It was so… Like something was… I don't know. And then, there's this dream and I woke up. And then the next thing I knew, I was staring at his hand...

…and it was burnt. _Fuck, _it was burnt.I burned his hand, Sensei."

The words that came after was muffled and strained.

"I was... I was angry. I don't know what happened." Naruto gritted out. He heard the closing of a book before he felt a hand rested warmly on his shoulder.

"Don't beat yourself up, Naruto. It was an accident. You didn't hurt him on purpose. It was the demon fox." The jounin said after a while. It was meant to console him but Naruto didn't feel any better.

"…I know. But I still did." One tan hand covered his face. "And damn it, it's his stupid fault. Why? Why did he have to do that? He knew that the seal was already weak. Why did he do that? What's he trying to prove this time?"

"…."

"I… I don't understand." Naruto mumbled tiredly. "I don't understand him, Sensei. I don't get him at all."

The jounin kept quiet for a long while before he finally spoke. His voice was gentle, tinged with something Naruto could not identify.

"…Sometimes Naruto, we fail to understand reasons, because we _don't_ want to."

Kakashi brought his book down. He fingered a pebble on the ground and tossed it towards the fire.

"Because we're afraid to know."

Naruto stilled at that. He looked back at the jounin as the words slowly settled in.

'_You're afraid to know. Always been afraid to know.'_

_[We're no longer friends, Naruto. And we will never be again.]_

"Maybe we already knew but we're so terrified to face the truth that we deny even the most obvious things." The jounin continued. He paused as he looked directly at the blond.

"I think you already knew Naruto."

"What… do you mean, Sensei? I don't follow." Naruto asked breathlessly. Inside he was hoping—desperately hoping that what the jounin meant is different from what he's thinking. Sasuke, his rival, his _ex_-best friend, wouldn't really hurt him now, right? Even though they're no longer friends, he wouldn't try to kill him again. That the Kyuubi's words were mere lies and when he activated the seal, that wasn't betrayal. He didn't mean harm.

'_That wasn't… He's not really…'_ Naruto grappled at the words, feeling his chest constrict for some reason…

"I don't know his reasons Naruto, but I do know one thing." Kakashi said as he looked back at the fire. "Your friendship… still means something to him."

Naruto's thoughts halted. He eyed the jounin slowly. "Huh? What… makes you say that?"

"He used to visit you every night." The jounin replied, still looking at the fire.

"Eh?"

"Back in the old hospital. He's always there." Kakashi explained. "After his night rounds, he'll go to your room and stay there. Until the dawn breaks, he'll never leave your side."

The blond's jaw unhinged widely at that. Suddenly, he found himself utterly speechless.

'_No way.' _He mumbled in his head. "That's ridiculous, Sensei."

Naruto always thought that after their heated, one-sided (rather embarrassing) argument, Sasuke never visited him again. That the other was so furious (and even disgusted) at him that he couldn't stand to be at the same room as him. He was positive that the rogue-nin has felt that way. And when his rival told him that they could no longer be friends, Naruto thought _that was it. _ That was _finally_ it.

"Even the time before you woke up." The jounin continued. He tossed another pebble towards the fire. "For two weeks, he rarely left that room."

"…."

"Your friendship had been tested so many times, Naruto. Maybe it has already been severed. Maybe it's no longer there. But even then, I do think you _alone_ still mean something to him."

"Me? Really? I…" Naruto started, but was unable to continue. His mouth was suddenly dry. There's heat spreading across his neck and his cheeks. He buried his flushed face in his hands. "No way. No freaking way. That's…"

"Hard to believe?" The jounin supplied.

"Impossible! That's just… downright impossible." Naruto's voice was muffled by his hands. "The bastard. He isn't… I can't even imagine…."

"Tell me about it." The jounin sighed. "He's always there. Even with Sakura's constant insistence for him to leave, he still refused. It was only when she told him she needs to disinfect the room that he… complied. Quite grudgingly if I might add."

Naruto was shaking his head now. He buried his face deeper into his hands.

"Why?"

_**Why?**_

"Goddamn it, why did he… do that?" Naruto repeated the question, more to himself. _'Why does he always do things that confuse me? Does he have some warped psyche or something?'_ Running his hand through his hair, Naruto stared at the fire again as if it could bring him his most-needed answers. The flames crackled and danced fascinatingly in his sight but it didn't help him in the least.

"Don't strain yourself too much, Naruto." Kakashi commented, a hint of humour in his voice. "Don't think too much."

Naruto didn't even register the obvious jibe. His head is filled with so many things right now that it was hard to focus on anything. To even think straight at this moment.

'_Damn you teme.' _Naruto's nails were digging into his face in frustration._ 'Why do you always, always screw with my mind?'_

He felt the jounin pat him gently on the shoulder again. Naruto didn't say anything but he welcomed it. Even with the endless turmoil in his head, he appreciated the rare gesture of comfort.

The comforting silence between the two didn't last long though as a familiar chakra signature flared and made itself known. Both of them immediately stiffened.

Sasuke landed a few feet in front of them, just at the other side of the fire. Kakashi noted that the other's landing was a bit loud, defying his normally graceful and silent movements. The raven looked fleetingly at Kakashi before his eyes travelled to the jounin's hand resting on the blond's shoulder. The dark eyes narrowed at once. Kakashi did not miss that.

Slowly, very slowly, Kakashi removed his hand from Naruto's shoulder.

Sasuke's eyes gave him a passing glance before they focused entirely at the unmoving blond. For some reason, Naruto has remained very still and quiet. His shoulders have grown rigid and his face is still lowered and buried in his hands. He doesn't even look like he's breathing.

Kakashi cleared his throat. "Sasuke," he greeted. "You're late. Your shift has ended some time ago. Where have you been?"

"…."

As expected, there was no response. Kakashi sighed mentally at that.

"You can rest. It's my turn now," the jounin said – albeit knowing that the other doesn't really sleep. He had never seen him sleep alone. It was only when he's with the blond that he would have practiced a semblance of "resting".

Before either of them could move though, the blond suddenly stood up. His eyes were still lowered to the ground as he turned around. "I'm uh going to sleep too. Good night—"

"Stay."

Naruto froze. He blinked, wondering if he did hear something.

"Naruto." A deep voice called out. And this time, Naruto did hear it. So clearly.

"…Stay."

"…."

There was a pause before Naruto sensed the jounin beside him move. He heard an almost inaudible "I'll patrol the area first" before the instructor vanished into a puff of smoke, leaving both of them alone.

Naruto's heart sunk in his gut, gaping at the spot where the jounin once stood. _'How could you, Kakashi-sensei?' _He shouted frantically in his mind. He couldn't believe this. After everything he revealed to the listless instructor regarding the Uchiha, he'd just abandon him like that. _Alone_ with the bastard. Naruto wished the ground could swallow him whole.

The air around them had suddenly grown thick. So painfully thick one could slice it in half.

Naruto stayed in his spot but he still didn't look back. _Couldn't _look back.

'_Should he stay? Should he go? Should he…?'_

And then he heard footsteps approaching him. Naruto panicked. His shoulders hardened at once. His eyes roamed around the area, frantically searching for an escape route. His breath hitched in his throat—

—when he felt something loom behind him, and before he could even react, pale long arms had wrapped around his body, fingers splayed across his chest and stomach, pulling him close. He could feel the Uchiha's warm chest pressed firmly against his back. He was hearing—feeling heartbeats other than his own. Steady heartbeats other than his.

Then something rested on his left shoulder. And the words "Don't go" was mumbled softly behind him.

_Don't go_

He couldn't move. For the life of him, at that moment, he couldn't even breathe.

'_A dream. This must be a dream,' _his mind rationalized. _'Maybe I'm still in his genjutsu. Maybe…'_

And then the hands tightened and pulled him even closer. Trembling fingers curling into his clothes. He could feel the other's nails digging into his body. Into his skin. So deep he was sure they'd bruise tomorrow.

"S-Sasuke…?" He uttered in a shaky voice.

But the other didn't respond.

Silence dragged on. Naruto didn't know how long they've stayed connected like that. Seconds, minutes, hours. Maybe a whole night? Or a day. He really didn't know. The moment the Uchiha closed the gap between them, everything went blank in his head.

'_What… the hell?'_

"H-Hey." Naruto said after a long while, thankful that he finally found his voice. He latched on to the other's wrists and tried prying the hands away but they wouldn't even budge.

"Sasuke." He tried to sound forceful. "Oi bastard, what are you doing?"

"…."

The raven still didn't respond. If anything, the hold tightened even more. Naruto could now feel tremors coming from the other; breaths becoming ragged. The fingers splayed across his chest balled tightly into fists, shaking so fiercely. And there's this warm wetness spreading on his back.

"Idiot… You _fucking _idiot." A voice he could barely recognize spoke behind him. It sounded so broken, so…

'_No way.'_

'_That's it.' _Naruto thought. With more strength this time, he gripped the other's wrists again and removed the hands from his body. Once he successfully detached himself from the other, he didn't wait for the raven's reaction and hurriedly moved away.

"Don't." Naruto said firmly just as the raven extended a hand to reach him again.

Even with his eyes immediately lowered to the ground, Naruto still didn't miss the injured hand, the _burnt _hand. He winced visibly at the sight. He swallowed hard, willing the image away but it was no use.

"Just… don't move. Wait here." The blond said as he turned his back and proceeded to his tent. He returned to the campfire a few seconds later, his med-kit in hand. He instructed the other to sit and surprisingly, the other followed, all the while staring at him.

Naruto knelt down before the raven and took the injured hand. Dread gripped his chest as he stared at the wound.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled silently.

"…."

He got fresh bandages in his packet and proceeded to wrap the wound*. He gnawed at his lower lip while doing this – _absolutely _unsure if this was the correct way of treating burns. He couldn't remember Sakura's first aid lessons regarding this. He berated himself for not paying attention. He also thought of using chakra to mend the scarred tissues but remembering what happened earlier, he dropped the idea immediately.

"Uh…" Naruto started nervously. "I'll just wrap this first so it won't be… infected. You still have to see Sakura-chan tomorrow."

He looked up at the raven. "Oi, are you listening—?"

"….!"

The bandage dropped. Naruto stared.

Tears were streaming down the Uchiha's eyes. Like a dam, they flow freely down his face. Unblinking. Dark eyes gazed down longingly at him… and it was taking Naruto all his courage to hold that unwavering gaze. To not look away.

_Why_

And before he could even stop himself, Naruto stood on his knees and without hesitation he wrapped his arms around the other.

"Hey... hey, what's wrong?" Naruto asked. "Damn it bastard, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

"…."

Naruto pulled the other closer. This time, he was the one tightening his hold. "Whatever that is, don't worry. Don't worry too much. Everything's…" One hand patted the raven's back gently.

"Everything's going to be fine. Everything's going to be all right." Naruto mumbled the words comfortingly against the Uchiha's shoulder.

"…."

"Sasuke, it's going to be—"

He didn't get to finish it as arms wound around him again… and he was pulled _even_ closer, their bodies so bonded now he could hardly breathe.

"It's okay… It's going to be okay." Naruto reassured. He didn't know what else to say so he just closed his eyes and continued rubbing the other's back. Something stirred in him but he refused to acknowledge it. If he acknowledged this feeling, he'd be hurt again. He'd always be the one to be hurt in the end. _'So this… this is okay._' Naruto thought. '_This is better_.'

'_Even if they can't stay as friends, even if he might not mean anything to him, at least he's here. Sasuke's still here. He's alive and he's safe. And that's all that matters.' _Naruto felt something hurt in his chest for some reason but he ignored it.

As the tremors receded and the other's breathing finally calmed down, Naruto retreated a bit. He gripped the other's shoulders and tried to look the raven in the eyes. But the Uchiha's face was lowered and hidden by shadows.

Naruto sighed heavily. "You look tired. You should rest now."

Receiving no response, the blond stepped back and picked up the discarded gauze. "I'll tell Sakura-chan about that. I don't think I can treat that on my own. I might make it worse." Naruto chuckled softly. He turned to look at the unresponsive raven, smiling as he finally caught his rival's gaze.

"Good night, bastard."

And with that, Naruto went back to his tent.

With peace in his heart and a smile on his face, he finally fell asleep.

* * *

_That night, he dreamed of a promise he made years ago._

"_I'll be the Hokage and I'll surpass all the hokages before me. Just watch me, people of Konoha. I will prove you wrong." His genin-self shouted atop the Hokage monument. He stood proud, hands on either side of his waist, naïve, and ridiculously happy. Hopeful._

_Time passed…_

…_and he found himself staring at someone's back. Someone wearing the Hokage robes. It wasn't him. But his heart, for some reason, didn't feel any spite towards this person._

_This person stood proud as well, tall and imposing as he surveyed the village from above the monument. A gentle breeze blew and the person's smooth raven locks fluttered gently in the wind. _

_And Naruto… felt __**glad**__._

_The wind blew again and dark ashes flew around him. Blue eyes slowly closed… and even though everything plunged into darkness, the small smile never left his face._

* * *

He stayed in his spot. For a long time, he didn't move, just stared fixedly at the blond's tent. Unblinking. He stayed still like that for a very long time.

And when he can longer bear it, his feet finally moved. So silently and slowly towards _him_. It was as if his feet were made of lead and something heavy has settled on his shoulders. His mind was utterly blank, and his dark eyes seemed dead. Fingers curled deeply into his palms but he couldn't feel it. The only thing that he could feel was the crushing, gripping feeling in his heart.

He crouched down and went inside the tent, his eyes immediately focusing on the body that lay sprawled on the bed.

His hands settled on either side of the blond's head. The blond's face appeared so peaceful. So unbearably calm and unguarded. As if there was nothing _wrong. _As if he wasn't…

The raven's jaw clenched. He gritted his teeth, pale fingers mangling the sheets of the bed.

He's going insane. Fingers digging holes into the bed. He's shouting but no sounds were coming out. He's hands were bleeding but he could feel nothing.

"You said… you love me." He whispered brokenly. "You…"

And he suddenly found himself unable to continue it. The words just died in his throat.

Then something resonated deep in his chest… and before he realized it, he was already laughing. _He was laughing. _A deep, mocking laughter resounding in that small space. He was laughing so hard he wasn't aware of the burning in his eyes and the growing ache in his chest.

"You love me and then you're just…"

And the laughter died.

He found himself staring again at the other's face. The ache in his chest increased tenfold.

"Damn you, Naruto." he growled low in his throat.

He could feel something hot dripping down his face. He wiped the tears away angrily, but some of them still fell.

"You are not going to die." Cold hands cupped the blond's face. "You are not leaving me."

The raven lowered his face, resting his forehead on the other's chest. He closed his eyes as he listened to the other's heartbeats.

"You're not leaving me," he repeated. "I will not... I will _never, _allow that—"

He stopped, sensing a movement below him.

The blond began to stir and it was only at that moment when he saw the thick layer of sweat covering the blond's forehead. Naruto was gasping for air, his face flushed and contorted in sheer discomfort and pain.

"Hot... It's hot." He heard the blond murmur. Naruto's eyes were squeezed shut and he was grinding his teeth. It looked like the blond was just dreaming but Sasuke was beginning to panic.

Just as the pale hand began to reach out, Naruto's eyes shot open. He didn't even register the raven on top of him and instantly wrapped his arms around his body. He trembled, teeth grinding behind tightly closed lips... feeling as if everything, _everything_ was on fire.

* * *

(TBC)

**A/N: **SO sorry for the errors, mean cliffhangers, and lateness. Really sorry!

Just to give everyone a heads up, this story will end in Chapter 20. Thank you very much for reading!

*What Naruto did to treat the burn was wrong. Don't follow it!


	18. Losing

**Notes: **Three chapters (18, 19, and 20) are uploaded today (Aug. 4, 2012). Chapter 20 is the final chapter. Before you proceed, please heed the following notes/ warnings:

(1) I feel like I have to be fair to everyone who reads this story. This whole fanfiction started with the ending. That may sound weird but that's the truth of it. This is why I_ am _terribly sorry to say that I didn't change anything in the ending. The three-word summary of this story is already a _hint_ and a _warning._ I am terribly sorry for this. I hope everyone get what I'm trying to say. There are quite a lot of comments regarding this and hopefully, this one clears that out. (Again, I am so sorry. I know I'd lose a lot of readers for this, but I just want to be honest. Still, **thank you so much** for reading this far.)

(2) This story is still rated M. There will be no smut or any grotesque mention of things, but there will be implied themes and scenes. Not really explicit but I just want to forewarn everyone. If you squint, you might actually just miss it.

(3) Lastly, I know that not everyone will continue so I want to take this little moment to thank everyone who endured this god-awful writing for so long and took a moment or two to leave something in the review section. Thank you all so much. I know I've told myself that even if no one reviews, I'll finish this story no matter what. But what I've received was _more_ than I hoped for - more than what I deserved, actually. This is my very first fanfic and this is very special to me. _Thank you all very much._

Unbeta'ed. (So sorry for the grammar mistakes!)

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* * *

_And when all you shadows killed your only light..._

**Chapter 18: Losing**

* * *

It hurt to breathe. Suddenly, it was all too difficult to breathe. Every breath was like fire through his lungs.

One moment he was staring at someone's back in his dream and the next thing he knew, his body was being eaten up by flames. It felt as though someone had lit a torch and set his insides on fire. He could feel the demonic chakra pooling heatedly in his stomach, spreading all throughout. Every bone, every vein, every inch of his skin – everything felt like they're on fire.

His eyes burned; the urge to cry out loud thickening in his throat.

In an anguished effort to swallow the scream, he clamped his lips shut. He held his breath and he tried to lie very still. _Tried_ not to move.

Maybe, given enough time, the pain will fade away.

It will. It always does, Naruto assured himself. _Kyuubi_ cannot be serious. The bastard fox had always terrorized him and mocked him with this kind of threats. He was so sure this time won't be any different.

"_**It burns, doesn't it?" **_Kyuubi's words cut through his thoughts, the cruel tone of amusement thick in its voice. The sudden intrusion made Naruto flinch.

At the slight movement, the full brunt of the stinging pain made itself known again. Naruto hissed, cursing loudly in his mind as his body writhed and cocooned itself against the ground. He wrapped his arms around himself, struggling to alleviate the scorching feel in his body. But it was no use. The fox's boiling chakra was going haywire inside of him.

And there was _nothing_ he could do.

"Hot… It's hot." Naruto gasped out. "Stop it. You goddamned fox, stop…"

Something heavy settled suddenly on his shoulder, gripping firmly.

Naruto froze, only now realizing that he wasn't alone. His heart sank at the thought that even his senses were failing. He hadn't even sensed anything. He hadn'teven felt _him._

He turned his head and tan eyelids opened hesitantly.

Hazy blue met pure black and Naruto's heart plummeted deeper into his gut. Surprise was there but it was soon replaced by the feeling of dread and misery.

"S-Sasuke?" He croaked.

_No..._

The pain he can endure, but _this. _

"Bastard, what're you doing here—"

He was interrupted by a fisted hand punching the ground beside his head, silencing him. The earth cracked and Naruto felt the ground beneath him shake a bit. He looked to his side and saw a hole swallowing the pale fist. His eyes travelled slowly back to Sasuke.

The man's whole front was shaking. His teeth bared – grinding just behind the pallid lips. At their closeness, the dark circles beneath the man's eyes were much more evident. _Angry_, Naruto noticed, Sasuke looked so angry.

His brain seized all functions and Naruto gaped helplessly, unable to say anything. Kyuubi's chakra wasn't receding. He could still feel the vicious throbbing right beneath his skin; the burning feel seemingly intensifying every second, but at the moment, Naruto couldn't care less. He wouldn't have the gall to divert his attention now.

Sasuke's face lowered even more, mere inches from his. Dark eyes were narrowed, livid, looking down at him in contempt as if he himself had done something terrible. The weight of the other man's stare was like a gaping hole sinking him in. A pressure built up in his chest and he felt like he's drowning.

In those black depths, he could see his own image, stunned and terrified. The Kyuubi's warning never felt so insignificant compared to this.

"Not you." Sasuke spoke; his voice as grippingly intense as his expression. "I'm not losing you."

And the hand that buried itself in the ground rose and held his face. Naruto barely felt it though, his attention solely focused on the man before him. He heard the words but before he could understand what they meant, a heavy lash of wind hit them both, forcing the tent off the ground.

"Get away from him!" Someone shouted.

Blots of black ink stained the ground and Naruto's eyes widened as he saw a series of Sai's ink beasts flying towards Sasuke.

Sasuke released him immediately, his hands flying to his chest. A familiar jutsu was uttered and a huge flame engulfed the ink beasts easily.

"I am _fucking _tired of this," Sasuke swore. Dark eyes peeled to red and before Naruto could stop him, Sasuke had drawn his sword and was already racing towards the ROOT member.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted. He quickly struggled to his feet and ran towards the two. "Oi bastard, stop!"

Lighting crackled through the area as Sasuke's blade fused with the element. Even with a limited chakra reserve, the Uchiha remained much powerful. Sai's ink beasts being wiped out one by one without much effort. The Uchiha's flames proved to be much too strong for him.

In the haze of the pain, Naruto struggled to keep his legs moving. They were shaking under his weight and it was taking all of his strength to just remain standing.

He called out again but it was blatantly ignored. None of the ravens paid heed to him, too focused on killing each other. Naruto cursed loudly.

A flying beast emerged from Sai's scroll. Sai took hold of it and they flew off into the air. For the briefest second, Naruto was almost relieved, thinking that the fight was over. Even with his power, Sasuke still won't be able to activate his cursed seal. He won't be able to use his demonic wings to follow Sai.

He was proven horrifically wrong two seconds later.

In an instant, Sasuke's skin turned a darker shade of flesh and clawed wings sprouted from his back, tearing his clothes. His hair grew longer. Black chakra encircled him.

Sasuke pushed the ground with one foot and he was airborne as well.

Naruto's breath froze in his chest as Sasuke's sword slashed through the beast's wings. The ink beast vanished. Drops of ink rained down on the ground and Sai fell with them.

"SAI!" Naruto shouted. He ran as fast as he could towards the other, his failing body momentarily forgotten. The overwhelming panic in him is the only thing that's keeping him on his feet.

Without waiting for the other to recover, Sasuke's sword began descending.

Sai saw it and instinctively lifted both his arms in defense. The sword pierced both limbs mercilessly, barely stopping just a few inches from the man's chest.

Along with the ink, thick red blood spluttered on the ground.

From the distance, he heard Sakura shriek.

"NO! Damn you bastard, _fucking _stop!" Naruto shouted frantically.

To his horror, Sasuke continued to push the blade down, really intending to kill the other. One of his feet was pressed heavily on the ROOT's stomach, ceasing his struggles. The rogue-nin's eyes were murderous; his cursed seal still in place.

Naruto felt so angry that the fox's chakra began to enshroud his body. His eyes bled to red. But before he could even take one step forward, the red chakra suddenly died down.

'_What the—?' _

One shortest breath – and then _that_ same chakra burst inside of him.

He didn't even hear himself scream.

He collapsed on the ground, his body convulsing violently. Instead of going out like it used to, the lethal cursed chakra stayed inside. He could feel every last bit of that accumulated chakra burning just beneath his skin.

Everything, _everything_ was burning. Like liquid fire through his veins.

He had never screamed so hard in his life.

What he experienced earlier was nothing compared to this. Nothing at all.

Something shuffled close to his side and a feeling of warmth settled on his shoulder. Someone pushed him to lie on his back. Naruto grunted lowly and just pressed one cheek further to the ground.

"Naruto?" he heard someone call out. It was Sakura's voice. "Oh god Naruto, are you all right?"

"S-Sakura-chan…" Naruto gasped out. "S-Sai, he's…"

"Idiot, worry about yourself first," snapped the medic-nin. Her fingers were over Naruto's form instantly, examining him.

There was that brief discomforting silence after that.

Naruto waited for any kind of verdict but Sakura remained oddly quiet. Blue eyes slowly turned and regarded the medic-nin in confusion.

What he saw was complete and utter fear in those green eyes. Shocked, Naruto simply stared.

Before he could ask the reason though, a shadow suddenly appeared behind the medic-nin. His eyes widened as Sakura was almost pushed aside. Sasuke grasped his upper forearm and he was unceremoniously picked up from the ground and dragged away.

He struggled and started to shout obscenities but stopped immediately when red eyes pierced his own.

"Wait, Sasuke-kun! Don't move him!" Sakura shouted from the back. The rogue-nin ignored her and formed a jutsu with his hand.

Naruto heard another shout in the back but everything was slowly drowned out as smoke filled his vision and then they were gone.

* * *

If it were not for the _rather_ tight grip on his elbow, Naruto would have stumbled over a bed of rocks when they landed. He had not lost his footing, no. It was just the sudden teleportation caught him completely off-guard, Naruto justified.

Once the smoke cleared from his vision, Naruto immediately detached himself from the other. He moved back, putting a lot of distance between them. Sasuke made no move to follow but watched him like a hawk.

"Why." Naruto demanded, lowly. His fists were shaking violently at his sides. "Why bastard! He didn't do anything to you!"

"…."

At the lack of response, Naruto's anger rose and before he even knew it, the _Rasenggan_ was already forming on his palm; the blue swirling mass of chakra circulating warmly in his hand. "Answer me!" he shouted.

"…."

Another loud curse slipped past the blond's lips and he charged.

The raven did not even move. He stood his ground, not a change in his stance as the violent ball of chakra rushed towards him at incredible speed.

"…."

An almost crushing grip held Naruto's wrist. Sasuke had caught his hand before it can even reach him; the _rasenggan _stilled in mid-air and hovering a mere inches away from the raven's face. Naruto gritted his teeth in rage but made no move to struggle or thrust his hand closer to Sasuke.

_Damn it. _He still couldn't do it after all. Even with all his rage, both of them knew that it was a half-hearted attack.

"He's my friend." Naruto uttered darkly. His _rasenggan_ was slowly fading away in the wind but his anger was unabated. His heavy heartbeats were jarring his ribcage. The veins in his temple were throbbing madly. He'd never felt so angry in a very long time. He glared at Sasuke with all his might. "He's never done anything to you and you hurt him. You hurt him! What the _fuck_ is your problem?"

"…."

"Sai… He's…"

"Not just a _friend_." Sasuke suddenly interrupted, his voice as cold and monotonous as ever, but not quite as empty. A hint of threat. "Am I right, Naruto?"

"What?" Naruto was gaping at the other now, utterly confused. "What the hell are you saying—?"

The grip on the blond's wrist tightened, threatening to break bone. Sasuke's eyes were looking down on him with contempt. "He can't be just a friend. He's my _substitute_."

"…?"

"You're seeing _me_ in him, aren't you, Naruto?"

Naruto's jaw could have as well disconnected from his face. His mouth was hanging wide open, as well as his eyes. He couldn't believe this.

"You're fucking delirious, _teme._ You're going mad. Damn it. Let go of me._"_

Sasuke didn't. His dark eyes merely narrowed and he pulled the blond closer.

"Who do you think you're fooling?" Cold. Sasuke's voice descended like ice.

"Sai… is not a substitute for anyone," Naruto gritted out, struggling to free his hand. He blinked back the burning behind his eyelids. "He's my friend. Just a friend. And if you can't understand that… if you don't want to believe that, I don't care. The world doesn't revolve around you, Uchiha. Now let me go."

"Tch." Sasuke released him.

Naruto moved a _long_ way back.

Massaging his wrists, he glanced around the new surroundings. His eyes widened as he took in the new and unfamiliar setting. _'What the… hell?'_

He couldn't believe this. Instead of the never-ending rows of trees stretching far off into the lands where they camped for days, he was met by large boulders of rock jutting out from all directions. _'Where in the world are they?' _Blue eyes returned to the dark, brooding figure.

"Where the hell are we, bastard?" Naruto demanded. "What's this place? And why—?"

He didn't get to finish it as Sasuke raised one hand in a seal and murmured something. Chakra was released and a cast of crows suddenly encircled the raven and flew to all directions. The sound of a hundred pairs of fluttering wings filled the air. The rogue-nin whispered a command and the birds disappeared into the night one by one.

Naruto blinked, utterly and completely confused. _'What was that about?'_ He glanced back at Sasuke who's now looking far off into the distance. He's just standing there, dark eyes roaming around as if waiting for something.

"Oi, bastard, what was that? Why did you summon those creepy birds? And where the hell are we?"

When he still received no response, Naruto went in front of the rogue-nin, forgetting all his earlier caution. He brazenly blocked the other man's view and repeated his questions to the raven's face.

Dark eyes turned to him slowly. "Just be still."

"The hell I'm going to be still. You kidnapped me! Let's go back now!"

The rogue-nin ignored him, his gaze focusing on somewhere else again.

"Ugh, you prick!" Naruto shouted in frustration. "You don't want to tell me anything? Fine, I don't care. I'm leaving. I can find them on my own." He turned but was stopped when Sasuke grasped his wrist. He winced. That was the_ same _wrist.

"I said," Sasuke's voice was lower, "stay still."

Naruto glared. "I don't wanna."

"Naruto."

There was warning there but the blond was oddly unfazed.

"Sai's hurt. If they get attacked, they may not stand a chance. I'm going back." Naruto stated firmly. "I don't know what you're planning here and I don't care. I'm not going to just sit around here, waiting for you to reveal anything because I know damn well you'll just ignore me. I need to go back."

"What can you do? You're much worse than he is." Sasuke retorted icily.

_Ouch._ Naruto flinched mentally at that.

"Wanna test that little theory, bastard? I can still take you on." A tan fist jabbed at the other's shoulder in a clear show of challenge and warning. "Stop me again and I swear I won't hold back anymore."

"Even in your full strength, you cannot defeat me, dead last. What makes you think in _that_ condition, you'll stand a chance?"

"Oh yeah?" One of Naruto's clones had suddenly appeared behind Sasuke; holding a kunai close to the pale man's throat. "Who's the dead last now—?"

He didn't finish it as the rogue-nin held his hand in an iron grip and had reversed their positions before he could even blink.

All his breaths were forced out of his lungs when he was pushed suddenly to the ground. Something hard pressed on his back and his arms were restrained behind him. He couldn't stop the grunt from escaping his lips when Sasuke's full weight descended on him, ceasing all his movements.

"You said you won't hold back. But that kunai didn't even touch me. You should've pushed that blade deeper when you had the chance, Naruto. If you really wanted to stop me, you should've killed me. Were you even trying?"

"Shut up _teme_! You know I can't do that!"

"Then why are you fighting me?"

"I want to go, okay! Just let me go!"

"…No. You're not going anywhere. We're not going back." Sasuke said with all finality.

"What? W-What do you mean we're not going back? What the hell are you planning?" He tried to turn his head to face the other but the weight on his back made it impossible to do so. He just glared at the ground. "The hell _teme,_ make some sense will you? You're confusing—"

"…Heal you."

Naruto stopped.

"Kabuto. He'll know what to do with you. And with Kyuubi," Sasuke went on. "He will know what's wrong with your body, and he will treat it."

'_What?'_

There was that one long second where Naruto just stared at the rock in front of his face.

"…." Slowly, the weight was lifted off his back. Sasuke had released him, but Naruto still didn't move from his position on the ground. His brain seemed to have shut down as he found himself unable to digest what the other man had said.

'_Did he just say Kabuto?' _

He stood up and looked back at Sasuke, praying that the rogue-nin was joking. Stalling, maybe. But looking at the man's grave narrowed eyes told him that the man was dead serious. What he revealed earlier – he looked like he really meant it.

"You are not fine." Sasuke said, lowly. "You may have fooled everyone but you cannot fool me, Naruto. You cannot hide anything from me."

"…Hiding? What are you talking about? I'm not hiding anything, bastard."

Sasuke's intensified _glare_ shut him up.

The man moved towards him and Naruto stepped back.

"We are going to fix this. I am not…" Sasuke's hand reached out to him. Naruto instinctively recoiled and raised his arm in front of his face in defense. But the rogue-nin just grabbed the hand, pulled it down from his face, and held it—gently.

"I am not losing you. I will not –will _never_ let that happen," Sasuke continued. "I will do everything."

Naruto was stumped; and gaped at the man for a few more seconds. _Wondering_ if this was all real. _'Was Sasuke fighting for his life?'_

A word was burning at the back of his throat and before he could stop himself, he heard himself ask – "Why…?"

_God, he hoped. At that moment, he _almost_ hoped._

"…do you care?"

"…."

Sasuke didn't answer or showed any signs he will. And for a long time, the rogue-nin just stared at him. He wasn't even aware that he's holding his breath.

When the quiet dragged on, he finally cleared his throat and looked away. Regret was gnawing at his insides. He should've known better than to ask that question.

"Because I'm the only one fated to kill you," Sasuke suddenly replied and Naruto felt the other man's hand rest on a convenient spot on his neck. A firm grasp on his throat. But not tight. The cold, pale hand just stayed there, skin to skin. "No one but me, Naruto."

"We are fated to fight each other. In the end, only one of us can live." The Uchiha stated monotonously; his face utterly blank, devoid of any emotion that could give away his thoughts. Only the rogue-nin could say something like that without batting an eyelid, without so much of a crinkle on his perfectly stony face.

_Of course._

There's that familiar clench in his chest. Naruto gritted his teeth and shoved the hands away with a sudden burst of strength he didn't know he still have. He moved away from the other; his eyes lowered and glaring at the ground.

Maybe it's the anger. Maybe it's the gut-wrenching disappointment. Maybe it's that stupid, _stupid_ hope…

_Do you care?_

Ha-ha.

And Naruto responded with the only way he can at such a brutally honest comment. He laughed.

A laugh, both bitter and sad, tore from his throat. He started laughing so hard that there were actually tears forming in his eyes. He fell down on his knees and clutched his stomach.

"Still with that crap, Sasuke?" He asked, not really expecting an answer. He sat on his butt and relaxed.

"I don't believe in fate. That's just crap, ya know. Utter and complete bullshit. We _will _fight, but that's only because we chose it, not because some higher being up there decided on it." Naruto remarked coolly. He leaned back on his elbows and gazed up at the skies. The moon was so high up, directly above him. The colors in the skies looked as if they were melting together, white, blue and black. It wasn't a comforting sight. He really didn't like grim colors.

"I believe that people can make their own future. You can choose your own path. Everyone can." Naruto said.

"That's why more than anything, I believe in people."

There was a barely concealed scoff at his side. Naruto's lips curved upwards, amused at the other's predictable reaction. He continued, "I believe in the Hokage, in Ero-_sennin_, in Kakashi-sensei, Iruka-sensei, Sai… Sakura-chan…."

Blue eyes looked back at Sasuke. Dark, hooded eyes met his and Naruto paused for a moment, caught in that heavy gaze.

Then he smiled brilliantly.

"And I believe in you, Sasuke. Even with all your crap, I still do."

"…."

"I've always…"

And Naruto abruptly stopped, only just realizing that the next words he'll say would be totally embarrassing. "Uh… I mean…"

_Shit. _What was he going to say next? Naruto looked away.

An awkward silence ensued with Naruto desperately grappling for words. The Uchiha on the other hand did not say anything and Naruto expected that. But for some reason, he could still feel Sasuke's heavy gaze focused on him. The long stare made Naruto wonder what the other could be thinking. It was frustrating to know that whatever he does, he could never know the other's thoughts. His rival had always been a mystery.

"You're a fool."

The sudden remark stunned Naruto. He blinked slowly. "Huh?"

"Believing in such foolish things." Sasuke reprimanded in a cold voice. He ripped his gaze from Naruto and refocused on the area ahead. "That's why you remain weak. To be strong, you have to only believe and depend on yourself."

"Wha-? Bastard, of course I believe in myself, but that's beside the point." Naruto replied in frustration. "What I'm trying to say is that you also have to believe _in_ others. You have to trust them. Depending on others does not mean you are weak. It also means that you are strong enough to put your trust on them. To risk everything you've got to believe in them."

"Trust," Sasuke countered simply, "is a fickle thing."

"Sasuke…"

"You of all people should know that, Naruto. It's futile to cling on to that."

"No." Naruto was shaking his head now, terribly upset. "You—you just don't get it. Why can't you understand—?"

Sasuke glowered at him; displeasure very clear in his eyes. But Naruto wasn't intimidated. He didn't back away, his gaze defiant.

"You're angry, bastard, because you know I'm right—"

He knew he should've stopped. The eggshells were thin and he's carelessly putting all his weight on it.

"…."

And then Sasuke's hand was suddenly on his chest; heavy fingers gripping the fabric over his heart, almost lifting him from the ground.

"O-Oi what the hell?" Naruto grabbed the pale wrist, trying to pry it away, but it didn't even budge.

"Tell me, Naruto." The raven's face was nearer all of a sudden. His eyes were hazy red, the black _tomoes_ of the Sharingan almost visible. But they didn't look threatening. Naruto stared into the eyes and all he could see – all he could ever see—was pain. Eyes filled with so much pain. It was the sight that made Naruto froze.

"Tell me, when this hand went through you years ago – when this very hand left you almost dead—was there any trust left, Naruto? Hadn't it all crumbled to the ground?"

"No, of course not. You were under the cursed seal, you bastard…"

A scoff, then in a voice as cold as ice, Sasuke spoke. "No, Naruto. That was all me."

Naruto swallowed thickly. "You could've killed me back then. But you didn't, Sasuke."

"I betrayed you time and time again." Sasuke interrupted, his voice lower. "And you just never learn. Putting faith on someone like me does not make you stronger, Naruto. It doesn't make you noble or all-forgiving. It just makes you stupid. So _fucking_ stupid to believe in something like that. "

"…." Naruto's fingers trembled on Sasuke's wrist and at that statement, he almost let go.

"And such stupidity… such senseless belief will be your downfall someday."

"…."

This time, Naruto was the one silenced. He couldn't bring himself to say anything. He can only stare solemnly at the ground. There was a huge lump in his throat and a prickling feeling behind his eyelids. _What could he say to that? _

He sighed.

_Nothing._

When it comes to Sasuke, there had never been any _right_ words to say. He might as well talk to a damn wall and get the same result. There's just never getting through that thick wall of ice.

Sasuke released him eventually but the feel of those cold fingers were still raw on his skin.

'_Why can't I ever reach you?' _

Naruto's eyes were still drawn to the grass beneath Sasuke's feet. He couldn't look at the other now. Dare he admit it, there was a bit of truth to what Sasuke said. After the fight at the Valley, he did start to doubt himself. Was he ever going to be strong enough? Is it really pointless to keep on chasing his rogue best friend? Were all of his efforts going to be just in vain?

"Stupid, huh?" Naruto pretended to laugh. He ran his hand through his hair, still with his eyes drawn down. "You know it's funny that you and Ero-_sennin_ said the exact same thing. Can you believe that?"

"He told me that chasing after you is extremely stupid and pointless. That in the end, no matter what I do, I'll never be able to save you."

A pause, then Naruto continued. He stared back at his rival. "But you know what? After he said those words to me, I came to realize something…"

A smile slowly formed on a tan face. "I realized that… I don't care. Pointless or not, I don't care. If believing in someone makes you a fool, then I'd rather be a fool all my life."

"…."

"I believe in you Sasuke. I still do and I'll fight for this belief. I'll fight for you. I'll fight for everyone, for Konoha. I'll never stop fighting." He promised, determination so alive and clear in his eyes. "And even if you stopped believing, even if you think that everything's in vain, I'll never stop. I will never give up. I'll keep on fighting."

"And this is not just because of a promise I made to Sakura-chan." A closed fist jabbed at the Uchiha's chest playfully. "It's because you are my rival and my best friend."

"…."

The silence that followed was once again expected, but this time, much more welcomed. Even with the glare that remained on Sasuke's face, Naruto's smile never faltered on his face.

Sasuke merely stared back at Naruto. His red eyes have receded to black, and there's this expression on the pale man's face that Naruto couldn't identify.

"…Moron." Sasuke said, looking into the distance once again. "You are a complete, utter moron."

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto laced his fingers behind his head, chuckling. "Asshole, I suggest you find a new insult. That one's not working on me anymore."

"Hn."

Naruto's smile only widened. He doesn't know why but at that moment, he felt incredibly… lighter. Like a huge weight had been lifted off from his chest. Maybe it's because he won the argument—well, at least he thought so—or maybe it's the fact that he had finally said what he always wanted to say to his best friend. Those words had always been in his head, weighing him down.

A long moment passed and neither of them spoke. Darkness was starting to deepen; long shadows stretching out on the ground. Naruto lay on his back and gazed up at the skies once again. Dark clouds were hovering above them. The night sky was devoid of stars, Naruto noticed. He briefly wondered if it's going to rain again. It seemed like every night, it's always raining. By nightfall, everything's saturated and smelling of fresh earth.

'_Is it also like that in Konoha nowadays?'_ he wondered.

He sighed heavily. The thought of his home saddened him a bit. He missed his village so much. After all this shit is over, he'll go home. That's a promise he made to himself.

"You know," Naruto started all of a sudden, no longer able to stand the long silence.

"I have this plant that I'm taking care of since last month..."

He doesn't expect the other to listen or god-forbid, respond. He just wanted to change the topic before all this sappy shit went on any further. He just wanted to tell story, some random thing that popped out in his mind that he knew the other doesn't care about. It was just like old times when he used to pester the other with nonsensical things.

Yep, just like old times.

"Ino gave it to me as a gift and she told me that it's going to uh, bloom very soon and when it does, it's going to be very beautiful. So of course, I took extra care of it," he babbled on.

"But uh, it's weird because it's been long and the buds weren't blooming at all. I don't know why. I did everything I could. They remained close though," Naruto stretched out one closed hand, imitating the plant.

"And all the leaves were turned downwards. Before this mission, I even saw most of the leaves starting to wilt." His voice turned uncharacteristically lower.

"I think it's dying…"

"…."

If Naruto was looking, he could've seen his rival's eyes flicked to his direction.

"I'm worried… because I don't know what to do. I don't want it to die. It's still too young." Naruto paused and gulped audibly. "And it's a gift you see, and I'm pretty sure Ino will bury me alive if the plant died prematurely. Maybe she'd think that I didn't take care of it well. I don't want her to think that."

Naruto closed his eyes, feeling suddenly tired all of a sudden. His body melted deeper into the ground. "I took great care of it, ya know. But it's such a stubborn plant. I…"

"…."

"I just don't want it to die." Naruto paused. He could feel a slight tingling in his stomach. Sweat was starting to accumulate in his skin. His body was starting to heat up once again, the demon chakra breathing fire in his veins like lava. Dread immediately filled him. He knew what would come next.

"Uh sorry. Can we continue this tomorrow? I'm feeling a little… tired." Naruto mumbled as he began to stand up. He pointed a thumb towards a nearby area. "I'll just sleep over there… After I wake up, we'll go back okay. Stop looking at me like that, bastard. We _will_ go back, Sasuke. I mean it. I'll just… rest."

He started to walk, his back too straight and rigid to be natural. The urge to just lie on the ground through the mind-shattering pain was getting stronger.

His world blurred. He suddenly lost feeling in his legs and before he could grasp what was happening, his body was descending…

Strong arms were suddenly on his sides, supporting him. The left side of his face was pressed quite awkwardly against the other man's chest. Naruto's face contorted in embarrassment. He was panting heavily now, each breath feeling like fire in his lungs as the Kyuubi's chakra rippled madly in his belly. He clenched his eyes shut, gritting away the pain.

"Naruto." A murmur close to his ears. Hardness gripped the low voice. The tone wasn't empty this time – filled with so much emotion that Naruto couldn't even start to believe.

"We are going to solve this," Sasuke said firmly. "Kabuto…"

"Hell no, Sasuke." Naruto managed to grit out. "I don't fucking trust that guy."

"Neither do I." Sasuke replied.

"I swear if you bring me to him, I'll fucking _Rasenggan_ you to hell and back, Sasuke. Both of you. Then I'll pound that freak's face to the ground and—"

"Naruto…"

"Don't." Naruto shook his head, an act a bit difficult since his face was still pressed against the other's chest. He grasped the Uchiha's shoulders to try to steady himself. "Sasuke, I don't need his help. And he might use me to get to you again. I am not going to let that happen. Never again, Sasuke."

"You don't have a say on that, you idiot. We have no choice."

"We _do_ have a choice!" Naruto retorted, his voice a little higher. "When all of this is over, Baa-chan can –"

"Before all of this is over, you are dead, Naruto. Before we even get to step inside Konoha, you are dead." Sasuke deadpanned. He looked inexplicably furious. "We don't have much time."

'_You don't have much time.'_

Naruto winced. The implication was strong in those last words. Even with his bold disapproval, he could still feel—could not deny—the strong hold of fear gripping his heart. Truthfully, with all these warnings and threats, he'd been scared out of his wits. He's absolutely terrified and for the rarest moments of his like, he's utterly unsure of what to do.

But like hell would he tell the bastard that. That's just _not_ going to happen.

"I said no." Naruto pushed himself back but Sasuke's hands stayed firmly on his sides, holding him at arm's length.

"This is my body and I know what I'm doing. I'll be fine," he insisted.

"Fool—"

"Kyuubi is my problem. Not yours." Naruto argued. "I'll be the one to take care of it."

"…."

"And besides." A grin slowly spread on a whiskered face, blue eyes narrowing in a haughty glee. "You almost sound like you care, bastard."

_Almost_

"I don't. I will always hate you, idiot," Sasuke deadpanned.

The words departed from the other's lips like a curse. Spoken so suddenly and without much thought that it'd be difficult to doubt it.

But this time, Naruto did not even flinch at the words. This time, he finally understood.

"Yeah I know." He said softly. "Like that would ever change."

He could have said he never cared but that would be an outright lie. "The feeling's mutual, bastard. You're an asshole and I will never like you either." Naruto piped humorously, jabbing a fist at the other's chest.

Sasuke's eyes drew to part on his chest where the fist connected. The eyes lingered there for a while then slowly, they were back to Naruto. Blue eyes stared back resolutely, a wide toothless grin spread on a tan face.

"Moron."

And Naruto just laughed.

A laugh that was as silent as the forest that surrounded them. He could still feel the tingly sensation of the fire in his veins but it was overwhelmed by the humour in his head. Peaceful. He felt so peaceful.

"Good night, Sasuke," he said, and once again made his way to his spot. He could've sworn he could feel eyes boring through his back. He ignored it.

He laid back on the tree and seconds after he closed his eyes, he was already dreaming.

* * *

When Naruto opened his eyes, his body was submerged deep in water. He glanced frantically around but all he could see was darkness. Losing air in his lungs, he began to panic. He moved his body to get into a vertical position and swam upwards.

When his head emerged from the water, Naruto immediately breathe in lungfuls of air. He felt like he's going to pass out. _In his head._

'_God, that sounds weird,'_ he thought.

**_"You're shivering. Are you afraid?"_**

"Shove it, you demon." Naruto growled out at the familiar greeting. "I'm shivering because it's freaking cold. You really need to stop with these threats."

The Kyuubi chuckled loudly, its snout high up in the air. When it stopped laughing, it stared down on Naruto. **_"Threats? This is no longer just a threat, human. I know you can feel it."_**

"…."

_**"Feel my chakra."**_ The corners of the demon's mouth curved upwards, all its teeth bared in vile amusement. Its voice was like a resounding echo in Naruto's head. Way too deep and malicious. Like a chilling voice in a nightmare.

_**"I will take immense pleasure in watching your puny little body shrivel and burn."** _The demon lowered its nose slowly; leveling its narrowed eyes at its host. "And you will be nothing but ashes."

Naruto glared at the Kyuubi with all his might but found himself unable to say anything. The demon's words played themselves repeatedly in his head. It didn't take long before his glare weakened and the hand in his grip started trembling again. He looked away with an unfocused gaze.

_Fear. Dread was wounding around his heart like a barbed wire._

"…Even if you say that, I won't give up." Naruto said lowly. "There's a way. There always is. This body…"

_**"…is failing."**_ The demon finished.

Naruto gritted his teeth.

_**"It's already falling apart. You can deny it all you want, Kit, but this is your inevitable fate and you cannot escape it."**_

"Fate?" Naruto repeated the word.

And here, like a switch, his trembling ceased. The familiar grit in his eyes returned. "Fate, you say? I resent that. Why are you all so obsessed in that? Even the bastard kept babbling about that."

And then Naruto looked up, glaring heatedly at the huge beast.

The Kyuubi stilled at the sudden change of demeanor. The boy's features have turned resolute all of a sudden.

"I _fucking_ hate that word." And without warning, Naruto charged at the fox. One tan hand darted in the air and grabbed a fistful of the demon's fur. With all his strength, Naruto pulled the fox's snout towards him.

The demon thrashed and growled in retaliation but Naruto didn't let go. He maintained his hold, pinning the demon's muzzle down with his two hands, until he was literally eye to eye with the cursed beast. He could see his image reflected so clearly in one of the demon's huge eyes. Ferocious and determined blue eyes stared back at him. _Like hell he'd give up._

"You listen to me, you bastard fox." Naruto ground out in return, fisting the red fur so tightly and bringing the demon closer to his face.

"I'm sick and tired of all this bullshit. You wanna kill me so bad, then why don't you do it? All this crap about your chakra, well I don't understand any of it and you know what, I don't care! I'm not listening to you anymore. I'm going to fight and even if this body fails, even if everything fails, I will not bow down to you. This body will fight until the very end, until my very last breath. If there's no way, I'll make one. I won't give up."

_**"You're all talk, human. I will be the first one to laugh when you do fall apart."**_

"Yeah? Well if that ever happens, then I'm taking you with me. We're both going down."

"…."

The demon bared its teeth, a vicious growl reverberating from its throat, but it didn't say anything.

Then, after a long while of glaring at each other, the Kyuubi whipped its head away from the tight grasp. Naruto was thrown sidewards at the sudden force but he regained his balance quickly.

_**"…You."**_ Low as if devoid of all strength. Kyuubi's seemingly jaded eyes stared back at Naruto. _**"Are you not afraid?"**_

"Huh?"

The demon turned away from him. Naruto stepped towards the cage again. "What did you say?"

_**"Such brave words. But those alone cannot save you."** _The demon was starting to retreat back to its cage; its huge body being swallowed up by the darkness again. **_"Eventually, everything will end. Are you really_ not afraid, brat?"**

Naruto blinked at the question. He doesn't have any delusions that the cursed beast actually cared and it may all just be in curiosity but still, it was completely unexpected.

"…Yeah I'm scared." _'Totally freaking out of my mind actually.' _Naruto admitted to himself. He knew fear like the back of his hand, and right now, it was gripping every fibre of his being. A smile formed on his lips though as he continued. "Just a teeny-tiny bit though. I refuse to let this affect me. And besides, more than my life, I'm even more afraid of losing…" Naruto paused, "…of losing everything I fought for. I'm fighting for everything important to me. And I swear there's no way in hell I'm going to lose any of them."

_**"…Such a fool you are."**_ The Kyuubi said, all its previous vehemence disappearing in those last words.

Naruto snorted at that. "Yeah? Well this fool is stronger than you could ever be so shut up."

_**"Brat."**_ The demon said hollowly. It glanced at Naruto one last time before it disappeared completely in the darkness.

Naruto stared into the cage, unable to move, vaguely realizing that his feet were losing chakra and he was gradually sinking into the water again.

He rested his forehead against the iron bar of the cage, Kyuubi's last words echoing in his head.

_["Are you not afraid?"]_

Naruto closed his eyes.

"What a stupid question..."

And the loud beatings in his chest just won't calm down. His fingers were sticky and trembling. Slowly, he let the water swallow him.

"You have no… _fucking_ idea."

* * *

Something cold was brushing through his hair; taking some strands of his unruly bangs away from his eyes. Such gentleness, such unbearable gentleness from such _cold_ fingers. Naruto breathed deeply, finding himself relaxing to the touch.

It felt so good. He'd never felt so good in such a long time.

He forced his eyelids to open.

Blue eyes met black.

Sasuke was kneeling before him, watching him. The man's fingers were still on his head, tangled in his hair. And then the hand drifted lower to his face. It was such a foreign touch and for the briefest moment, Naruto wondered why he didn't flinch. Or why he couldn't look away.

"You're sweating." Sasuke observed.

A tentative smile curved up his lips. "Because it's hot, bastard" he quickly answered.

"…It's raining," the man deadpanned.

Naruto blinked. He looked past the rogue-nin and noticed that their surroundings were quite misty, the air chilling and saturated by a light rainfall. He didn't notice earlier because the tree was covering both of them.

"Ugh. It's raining again." He groaned and stood up, stretching his arms high above his head. The bones in his neck and back popped audibly and he gave a wide smile in appreciation.

"Ah, that felt good. Come on Sasuke. We need to go. I think they're all worried sick by now, wondering where the hell we are."

The rogue-nin remained on his position; dark eyes lowered to the ground.

"Sasuke?"

"I said we're not going back. What part of that can you not understand?" The man uttered lowly, irritation thick in his voice, and this time Naruto _did_ flinch.

'_This again!'_

"And what part of _no-fucking-way _can't you understand, bastard? I'm not going to that creep. I'm going back to our team." Naruto retorted angrily, fists shaking at his sides.

"No." Sasuke drew to his full height and eyes as bright as blood stared down at him. "Even if I have to force you."

_Tomoes_ began to spin. Naruto paled, unable to move. The world was twisting in odd shapes around him.

"No… Sasuke… stop…" he begged, his hands fisting on Sasuke's shirt. If he let go, he knew he'd fall. He could no longer feel his legs. His mind was beginning to drift elsewhere. "I said s-stop."

"I can't lose you." Sasuke whispered, his arms wounding around him. The lines on his face had softened and he pulled the blond closer.

"I don't want to lose you."

At those words, Naruto felt his heart skip a painful beat; his resolve wavering a bit. His fisted hands loosened.

"Sasuke…"

…

A brutal wave of chakra rippled near them. Both of them went rigid instantly.

"My, my. You finally brought him to me, Sasuke-kun."

"Madara." Naruto heard Sasuke utter. The rogue-nin's expression was contained but even then, Naruto could hear—could feel a hint of malice in his voice. Something flickered in those narrowed blood-red eyes. The feeling of danger was so thick in the air he could almost feel it.

Slowly, Sasuke turned around to face the elder Uchiha, his body directly in front of the blond.

"Are you going to finish the job now, my dear nephew?" Madara asked.

"Yes." Sasuke answered. There's not a hint of hesitation in his voice and his face remained devoid of anything.

The rogue-nin drew his sword slowly, the smooth sound of it unraveling distracting Naruto for a full second. And then, faster than a split-second, Sasuke charged. One blink and Naruto found the gleaming edge of Sasuke's blade buried deep into the old man's chest.

* * *

(TBC)


	19. Fighting

**Chapter 19: Fighting**

* * *

_[Excerpt from Chapter 1]_

_It had not even rain._

_But the heaviness in the air lingered in the surroundings, making everything feel moist and uncomfortable. The unrelenting and peculiar humidity of the environment soon made the villagers of Konohagakure feel somewhat uneasy and vulnerable. There seemed to be an unbreakable and tense silence pervading the whole village. Though normal town activities still continued, the whole vicinity of the proud village still gave the impression of overwhelming immobility and stupor. It was like a genjutsu was performed in the village, crafting a trancelike mood to affect everyone. Everyone can feel it, but no one can seem to put a finger on it. Perhaps the only thing that anyone can do is to wait… to anxiously wait for something to happen._

_Wait for something, or someone to break that tomblike silence._

_If they only knew, if only Konoha knew that what they were eagerly waiting for is coming right at them, with the intention of not only breaking that silence, but __**crushing**__ everything in its path._

_Maybe the perplexing humidity or the deathly silence was the least of Konoha's problem after all._

* * *

Amber-colored eyes surveyed the village from above the Hokage Tower. Light raindrops were pelting softly on her grass-green robe. Tsunade closed her eyes for a moment, reveling in the sound of the early morning drizzle. The sound of the rain had always been calming to her ears.

It's been raining for a month now. Not too heavy to cause a flood. Just that sweet, peaceful rain every now and then. The last drought brought by the Kyuubi was fortunately over. They had solved it before it got too worse. 'But at what price?' Tsunade wondered. She can't help but think that the problem was far from over. Her greatest fear, if she would be inclined to admit, was that they made a huge, terrible mistake. That even with all of the Council's tests and investigations, they'd still missed one vital thing.

After all, even good intentions are almost always fraught with disappointments.

In the end, everything has a consequence.

The Hokage sighed heavily, wondering for the millionth time why she accepted this job. More than the painful, head-crushing effects of her _sake_, this job had made her head spinning more and in a worse way.

"Brat. This is all your fault." Tsunade muttered, remembering how the job was practically forced on her. She didn't want it, never thought of being offered the position actually, but the Council and even Jiraiya had been so persistent. Eventually, she relented but that's only because of…

"Naruto."

A sadistic smile crept up on her thin, colored lips. Her eyes glinted evilly. "I swear once you come back, I'll grind you to a pulp, you ungrateful brat."

"Hokage-sama." Shizune dutifully called out behind her. She was dressed in her Jounin uniform. "They're here."

Tsunade nodded in response.

_They_ of course referred to the leaders of the five great nations. In what could be an oddly convenient occurrence, the five great leaders were offered another chance to convene and settle their differences. Invitations were sent and promptly accepted and they all agreed to have their meeting in Konoha.

Their agendas remained the same. The main priority was still Uchiha Madara. Now that he's in possession of the eight cursed beasts, the eldest Uchiha remained the biggest threat to all nations. If anything, that alone would force any leader to take the resurrected madman seriously.

The second agenda was of course, the man's younger kin – Uchiha Sasuke. His assault in the last Leadership Conference remained fresh in everyone's memory; as he almost singlehandedly brought the proud leaders' army to its knees. Notable and downright vicious. The rogue-nin had caught everyone by surprise.

The treason committed by Team 7 was the new inclusion to the list. Only the Godaime Hokage and a handful of Council members knew that there really had been no such betrayal. It was all a ruse to _try_ to salvage the life of the missing-nin.

And Tsunade promised that she would do everything to fix that one. Sasuke's execution could also mean the end for Naruto since Kyuubi's uncontrollable bursts of chakra could only be withheld by an Uchiha. If Sasuke died, she couldn't even begin to imagine the brutal physical effects it would cause Naruto.

Her grip on the Hokage hat tightened.

This was a gamble she wasn't allowed to lose. The pressure was simply overwhelming but she refused to let this show.

"Let's go," she said, her voice as firm as ever.

Shizune nodded and lead the way.

* * *

Sakura wrapped the last of the spare bandages on Sai's arm as quickly as she could. Sai's wounds were still bleeding a bit, but thankfully there were no broken bones and the blade missed the vital veins. But still, the damage was there. It was pretty serious. Honestly, she doubted if the ROOT member can use his hands for a while.

"Can you move your arms?" she asked, putting her things back to her pouch. She eyed the man warily. Sai didn't look like his usual self. The typically blank expression on his face was gone and had been replaced by something a lot more… intense.

"Yes." Sai replied and as if to prove his point, he swung one fist and hit the tree beside them. The trunk easily caved in and splinters flew in the air. A hole was swallowing the fist and the bandages that Sakura have meticulously tied together had loosened.

There was a long second of quiet before Sakura smacked the man with her open hand. "You idiot! I just asked. I didn't tell you to demonstrate. You might open your wounds, _baka!_"

The man didn't respond to that and the dread that gripped Sakura's heart tightened even more. Sai wasn't acting normally. Well the boy isn't really normal but in all honesty, she would've preferred the old Sai rather than this. Right now, one could easily tell what he's feeling. He seemed… unsettled and angry. And that's not just because of his wounds, Sakura thought. There was something else there.

"Can we go now, Sakura-san?" Sai suddenly asked. It didn't actually sounded like a question, more like a demand. There's a hint of urgency in that tone. "We need to search for them."

Sakura shook her head. "Not yet. We should wait for Kakashi-sensei first."

The man clenched his fists, indicating that he didn't like that response.

Thankfully, they didn't need to wait long. The sensed the copy-nin's chakra nearing them and both immediately stood up.

"Sensei!" Sakura greeted.

"What... happened here?" Kakashi asked, glancing around the damaged surroundings. His eyes narrowed at the enormous amount of black ink staining the ground and Sai's heavily bandaged limbs.

Before Sakura could answer, the Jounin had pieced the information together. "Where's Sasuke?" he asked in a more serious tone.

"We don't know, Sensei. There's a fight and Sasuke…" Sakura bit her lip and her gaze fell, unable to continue.

"He took Naruto." Sai finished.

Kakashi's visible eye widened.

"Naruto…" Sakura murmured; her voice cracking. "He's… in really _bad_ shape, Kakashi-sensei. Please. We need to go find them."

The expression on the Jounin's face immediately hardened and without any more words, a jutsu played in his hands and his tracking dogs were summoned.

* * *

As soon as the blade pierced the man's chest, lightning fused with the sword and razed the eldest man's body. Dark eyes widened a bit when the body just dissolved into thin air and vanished.

"Behind you!" Naruto shouted.

Sasuke immediately turned around and slashed the body behind him. Once again, the blade just went through the elder's body. A leg was raised and Sasuke just narrowly dodged a swerving kick on his face. The man vanished again.

"Tsk, tsk, Sasuke-kun. That's not a proper way to greet your elders. Don't just wave that thing around carelessly. It's dangerous, you know." Madara jokingly said, his mocking voice resounding through the forest. His chakra was everywhere but his physical form was gone.

Naruto looked around. He could distinctly feel the man's powerful chakra signature but he couldn't locate his exact location. He had to utilize his Sage mode for this. But he needed time. Even half a minute of immobility would suffice. He felt Sasuke return to his side.

"Hey Sasuke, give me a minute. I can locate him. We can fight him together—"

"No. Stay out of this, Naruto." Sasuke vehemently refused. "I can handle him alone. Just protect yourself. Do not let him touch you."

Indignant, Naruto yelled. "Shut up _teme_! Stop being such an arrogant prick. You know you couldn't take him on your own. Let me help!"

In response, the Uchiha just downright glared at him but Naruto was unfazed. "I'm not asking for your permission, bastard! Don't treat me like I can't do anything."

"Naruto—"

He didn't wait for the other to finish and promptly closed his eyes and stood very still. "Half a minute!" he said before relaxing his body and drifting off into a blank state. He vaguely heard the other call his name again but he ignored it.

Sasuke cursed and stood in front of the blond, both arms extended protectively.

"Now this is a funny picture. Are you really protecting him, Sasuke-kun?" The elder landed before the rogue-nin.

"I told you to stay away." Sasuke countered, venom in his voice.

"You know that's impossible, my dear nephew. I _need _the Jinchuuriki."

Sasuke's grip on his sword tightened. Hazy black chakra was beginning to seep out of his skin, encircling him. His eyes bled to a deeper shade of red and his Mangekyou was activated.

"Ah. Itachi's eyes. Aren't they beautiful?" The elder mocked.

The black chakra went wild. Sasuke charged.

The two dark figures became a blur in the wind; each moving so quickly and repelling each other's attacks. Thick bolts of lightning crackled in the area, burning everything it touched. Fireballs were exchanged, along with a grand display of lethal illusions and seals. They both knew that genjutsu would be the only form of attack since neither of them can touch the other. The closest Sasuke got to making contact was tearing a hole in one of the elder's sleeves.

By the time they stopped, half of their surrounding area was burned to the ground. The other half was still burning.

"You could have had a better chance of laying your hands on me if you don't stay too close with the Kyuubi vessel, Sasuke-kun. You look horribly distracted. The boy's presence is obviously pulling you down."

Sasuke's glare only intensified. He didn't move away and instead inched closer to his teammate.

Madara laughed again, clutching his stomach in a dramatic display of amusement. And when he stopped, he tilted his head. "You really are a fool, just like your brother. Why do you always maintain the illusion that you can protect anyone?"

"…."

"It's pathetic." And this time, it was Madara who initiated the attack. He stretched out his hand and charged directly at the rogue-nin. Sasuke didn't move and merely angled his sword towards the elder.

A blur of yellow and black passed Sasuke's peripheral. Just before he could react, Naruto appeared on top of Madara, a huge ball of swirling blue chakra in his hand.

"_Oodama Rasenggan!_" Naruto shouted and the ball of chakra descended heavily on the man's back. It connected – and the elder's body was pushed down, burying him to the ground.

Naruto waited for a puff of smoke to indicate a clone but there was none. He grinned widely.

"Ha! Take that bastard!"

Sasuke was on his side immediately. "Idiot," he muttered; dark eyes glancing over the blond's form.

"I wasn't late, was I? Perfect timing, eh?" And Naruto's smile grew wider, one finger brushing his nose. "Told you we can take him together."

"Don't let your guard down. He's still alive."

"…I know. I can still feel him."

A hand emerged from the crumbled ground. Madara was slowly standing up, seemingly unscathed. Both of them tensed.

"That was a nice move there, Jinchuuriki."

"I have a name, asshole." Naruto growled out. "And I'll make sure you damn well remember it." He raised his hands to his chest and formed a jutsu. A hundred of his clones appeared and surrounded them.

"Don't overdo it, idiot." Sasuke reprimanded.

"I'm fine bastard." Then Naruto paused. "Oh that's not what you meant. Don't worry. I'm not gonna take the spotlight from you, _teme_. You'll have the last punch, I promise."

Naruto just chuckled at the glare he received. The thought that he was getting used to it was kind of disturbing.

"Let's take him down, Sasuke." he said, looking directly at the rogue-nin. "Together."

"Hn." Sasuke looked away. "Just… stay close to me, moron."

Naruto blinked. "E-Eh?"

"Are you two done talking?"

Madara had his hands on his waist, tapping his foot childishly on the ground. "I'm waiting here. I don't have all day."

"Can't wait to get your ass kicked, old man?" Naruto sneered. All his clones stood in attention.

Brightness began to fill the area as a hundred of blue chakra formed in his clones' hands. The real Naruto gave a silent signal and all of the clones attacked.

The elder Uchiha just stared impassively at the hundred balls of swirling chakra coming his way. A smile had crept up behind his mask.

"Impressive," he murmured. And faster than a lightning, he moved.

He didn't bother eliminating all the clones surrounding him. He just dodged most of them and directly charged at his _real_ target. Sasuke noticed this immediately and shielded the blond, his own Chidori charging in his hand.

Just as the elder was nearing them, he vanished completely.

Naruto scoffed. He signaled discretely at Sasuke, stretching his fully powered Rasenggan in his hand. The rogue-nin caught it immediately and without hesitation, mixed his own Chidori with the swirling ball of chakra. The wind around them rippled violently and a huge ball of swirling and crackling blue chakra lit the area. It was an excellent display of perfect chakra combination and for a full second, Naruto simply stared in awe.

They both felt the elder's chakra near them again.

"That ain't gonna work anymore, old man." Naruto said. "We can feel your disgusting chakra a mile away."

And Naruto swerved the fully powered Rasenggan and Chidori to his right, connecting solidly to the elder's mask.

He heard a crack in the man's mask and a low curse before the elder disappeared again.

'_So close!'_ He thought.

"The only way that you can touch him is when he attacks you." Sasuke said.

"I see," Naruto nodded. "I have a plan, Sasuke! I'll distract him—"

"No, you _will not_." Sasuke interrupted firmly. "You will not use yourself as bait, Naruto. There are far more effective plans than that."

"Oh come on bastard! I'm the only one who can sense him. We can do this. Trust me."

"_Idiot_—"

Naruto didn't let the rogue-nin finish and just rushed at some random location. He immediately felt Madara's powerful chakra looming near him. _Following him._

"Found ya!" He grinned and didn't bother to turn around. Sasuke was already behind the eldest Uchiha, his blade drawn.

Naruto heard the man scream and when he turned around, he saw Sasuke's sword protruding from the Madara's chest. Thick red blood spluttered in the ground, tainting the vibrant fields and pale boulders of rocks.

Sasuke embedded the blade deeper into the elder's body. Turning the hilt forcefully, he sliced the man's body in half. The elder's dark robes fluttered in the wind and the body began its descent. But before the body reached the ground, it dissolved.

Naruto gaped.

That was a _damned _clone. Naruto saw Sasuke immediately stiffen when he realized this. _'That could only mean…'_

'_No...'_

The world seemed to slow down as he began to turn around. _'Damn it, too fast,'_ Naruto cursed in his mind. The real Uchiha Madara was right behind him. It was a diversion all along.

"Two seconds too slow,_ Jinchuuriki_." Madara remarked with glee, clamping a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Now, you come with me."

Naruto gasped as his vision swirled and felt his body being pulled inwards. Like a hole was swallowing him. His body was disappearing into thin air. It felt like a teleportation jutsu. Naruto's eyes widened at the thought. _'Where is Madara taking him?'_

Panic swelled in his gut. Instinctively, he stretched out his hand… and called out a name. As loud as he could.

"Sasuke!"

Before the last syllable even left his lips, his rival was already racing towards him. Sasuke was quick but the distance between them was just too big. The raven wouldn't make in time. He's losing him.

But Naruto did not dare lower his hand. He stretched it out as far as he could. He could no longer see anything and his upper body was almost gone.

They couldn't be separated. Not now. _'Not now,' _Naruto pleaded repeatedly in his head.

"Naruto!"

And then, he felt it. Just at the tips of his fingertips. Something cold grazed his fingers, and the exact second before his body completely disappeared, he felt a hand tightly gripping his own.

"Don't let go—!"

Naruto smiled at the command and with all his strength, he pulled Sasuke towards him…

One breath – and then they were all gone.

* * *

Sasuke was still holding his hand when they landed –quite roughly—on a grass-covered ground. Immediately, the raven pulled him away from the elder Uchiha. The sudden momentum threw them far away, both of their bodies colliding with the nearby trees.

His surroundings whipped past his vision and Naruto realized, with a sinking gut, the familiarity of his surroundings. He gathered his chakra on the soles of his feet and dug them into a thick branch.

"Konoha." Sasuke uttered indifferently beside him.

Naruto glanced around. True enough, just a hundred meters from him, he could see the edges of the towering edifice of the Eastern Gate of Konohagakure. He cursed, only now realizing what Madara had intended to do since the beginning.

"You are planning to release the Kyuubi here." Sasuke deduced. It was not a question and Naruto visibly froze at that.

"Take one final look at your burial ground, _boy._" Madara said, ignoring his kin and his one visible eye staring right at Naruto. "This is where it all started and where everything will _end_. Such a fitting ending for a monster, don't you think?"

"Yeah? Well dream on, you freak. That's not going to happen." Naruto countered resolutely, one hand taking a kunai from his pouch.

The elder released a chuckle, throaty and deep. It almost sounded inhuman.

"Ah, the humour. Too bad, it's going to expire soon. I'm sure everyone's going to miss you. _If_…" And here, the older man dramatically paused, "…your beloved people are still alive by that time."

"You bastard—!" Naruto was ready to charge but Sasuke blocked him.

"Don't be stupid. He's luring you." Sasuke said, his eyes not leaving Madara. "Just stay close to me. I won't let him touch you."

"I can take care of myself, Sasuke. Just don't let him get too close to Konoha. We have to protect –" He wasn't able to finish it when the raven ripped his eyes away from Madara and fixed him a glowering look.

"I couldn't care less what happens to that village, Naruto. My concern is you. Only you." Sasuke gritted out.

Naruto's eyes widened at those words. His mouth opened to retort but nothing came out.

"It's you I'll protect. Nothing else." And with that, the raven gripped the hilt of his sword and lifted it, angling the blade across his chest. He turned around and moved directly in front of Naruto.

"I'm not going to lose you."

"Sasuke…" Naruto murmured but doubted if the Uchiha heard it. Sasuke's eyes were focused once again at the elder, his Mangekyou already fully activated.

"My foolish, dear nephew," Madara commented maliciously. His gloved hands rose in his chest and formed a seal. "Even with your power, you are still too weak to protect anyone other than yourself. Didn't your brother tell you that?"

Sasuke's chakra exploded and within a split-second, his form appeared in front of the older Uchiha. The katana slashed through the man's skull cleanly. The look of surprise in Madara's face was evident but it didn't last long. A baleful smile appeared behind the swirling mask.

"As if."

Madara'svisible eye spun and looked directly at the rogue-nin.

_-a gentle flick in his forehead; his Aniki's blood-stained eyes staring at him and a thousand crows burning in his wake. The house smelled like death _

Sasuke's body went rigid.

A knee connected to his gut and another one landed on his face, throwing him a few meters away.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted and followed him.

The rogue-nin changed his stance in mid-air and landed on his feet. He stood back up.

"Are you alright?" Naruto asked, noticing the distracted look in the man's eyes. His red eyes were a bit hazy.

"It's just an illusion," the raven replied curtly. "It won't happen again."

"Oh no, my dear nephew." Madara picked up the discarded sword from the ground, eyeing it slowly. "What I showed you is not an illusion. _That…_ is a memory."

"…." Sasuke's eyes peeled back to pure red. Naruto had to move away just as the scorching black chakra appeared again. Blood was leaking out from the corners of the rogue-nin's eyes; thin red veins filling the sclera of those murderous orbs.

"S-Sasuke." Naruto called out. For some reason, the rogue-nin's impressive display of strength wasn't bringing him any comfort. Something prickled uncomfortably in his skin. Something was really wrong here. He could feel it. He looked back at Madara. The elder's visible eye looked almost… pleased. Like he was expecting – waiting for this to happen.

"Sasuke, stop." Naruto approached the raven again but the black chakra kept repelling him away. "Can't you see? He's using you. He's planning something."

Sasuke ignored him.

"Ugh, bastard!" Naruto yelled in frustration.

"Do you hate me now, Sasuke-kun?" Madara taunted. His voice had changed. Naruto's heart stilled at the familiar depth of the new voice. It sounded like…

An image of Itachi flickered in Madara's mask.

"Hate me, hate me all you want. Focus all your hate on me. And when hate had filled your heart, you can finally be strong."

Sasuke screamed. A gut-wrenching, pitiful scream resounded in the whole area as the black chakra engulfed everything in its path and Sasuke charged at the man.

Madara didn't move. Didn't even flinch at the black chakra rushing its way towards him. He stood straight, head slightly tilted and Sasuke's _katana_ still in his hand.

One painful heartbeat later– and it was Sasuke's body which fell to the ground.

"Finally." Madara uttered. He dropped the sword uncaringly to the ground. "I was wondering when your chakra will die out."

"W-What?" Sasuke gasped out, struggling to stand up.

Naruto was on the rogue-nin's side immediately. "Sasuke! What happened? Are you okay?"

"Remember, Sasuke-kun. I was the one who take off your chakra restraints. For good measure, I didn't take them all." The elder revealed, looking utterly and disgustingly pleased. He began approaching the fallen nin.

Naruto immediately stood in front of his teammate, shielding him. "That's as far as you can go, asshole."

Madara laughed. "Why are you angry at me? He's the one who exhausted his own chakra. Foolish, foolish boy."

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled, charging another Rasenggan in his hand. "Take one more step and—"

"No, N-Naruto. _Fucking _idiot, get away."

A gloved hand wrapped around his wrist. Naruto stilled.

"I'm done playing games, _boy._"

And an eye as red as blood stared right at him. His muscles shivered in panic as he felt his whole world being sucked in, darkened by deep hues of red and black. His Rasenggan evaporated in his hand.

He couldn't even struggle. He couldn't control his body anymore.

His eyelids were dropping.

And before his eyes finally closed, the last thing he heard was Sasuke calling out his name.

* * *

_His tiny hands struggled to reach the paper taped to the entrance of his apartment. The large poster which bore the image of a horrifying monster was attached to the highest end of his almost worn-down door. He was already on his toes, but he still couldn't reach one corner of it._

_Still, he was quite thankful it wasn't paint this time. At least the paper could just be removed. If it was paint or ink, he would need to cover it. And he really doesn't have the luxury to buy more paint, especially this time of the year. The festival was coming and he promised himself he'd buy that fox mask he'd seen in one of the stalls last year._

_The one that was thrown to his face._

_Maybe the old man thought that he'd steal it. That he simply can't afford it. Well he can now. He doesn't want any pity. He can buy that damned mask on his own. And like the other kids, he would wear it and he could finally play ANBU with them. He smiled, feeling incredibly happy just thinking about it._

_Thoroughly inspired, he struggled harder, his hands reaching higher by a couple of centimeters. His fingertips touched the surface. Using his nails, he scraped the edge of the paper from the wall. Once part of the paper was removed, he trapped it between his fingers, ready to tear it away—_

"_Monster."_

_He stopped. _

"_Even if you take that out, you're still a monster, boy," a voice said behind him._

_Slowly, Naruto lowered himself to the floor; his feet once again flat on the ground. But he didn't look back. He doesn't want to. He'd never wanted to look at the faces of the people who call him names. _

_Because he knew that if he ever saw them, he'll remember their faces forever. He wouldn't be able to forget and he doesn't want that. _

_Better if they all remain anonymous, his young mind supplied. If he doesn't know them, he wouldn't hate them. Simple._

_A heart should be filled with nothing but love. Not hate. Never hate. That's what Jii-san (Sandaime) always said. That's what he always believed._

_But he didn't know why his chest still hurt and tears won't stop leaking from his face. _

_A long moment passed and Naruto felt the man behind him leave._

_Blue eyes glanced around his apartment again. His walls were filled with signs and characters he couldn't even read. His heart sank even more at the horrible state of the two glass windows of his house. And now his door…._

_That horrible image of a monster taped to his door._

_His tiny hands clenched at his sides. "Screw this," he murmured. And in a sudden burst of renewed determination, he jumped, grasped the edge of the paper in his hand and in one strong pull, tore the paper away. _

* * *

"Why are you even protecting them?" Madara whispered to his ear. Naruto's heart stopped in his chest.

Before him was the Kyuubi's enormous cage.

"They're not even worth protecting," the elder continued. But the words were already lost in Naruto's ears.

A white paper seal was fluttering in his hand.

Madara's fingers were buried in his stomach; fingers positioned and deep into the corners of the eight-signed seal. Black ink was dripping down his thighs.

Naruto dared himself to breathe.

"They all deserve to die. All of them..." Madara said one final time. His voice was soft and low, tinged with a bit of sadness and memory. Naruto didn't know why but at that moment, he almost pitied the man.

And then the gloved hand was turned and the seals on his stomach glowed –

The characters of the seal melted. They combined and formed a single circular black shape in the middle of his stomach. And like a clock, it started its rotation.

Just before the seals completed its rotation, Naruto heard a grunt of pain behind him –an excruciating choking sound—and then something wet and warm filled his back. The smell of blood grew thick in the air. Slowly, Naruto looked back and saw Sasuke's blade in the dead-center of the elder's throat.

Sasuke turned the hilt and the elder's decapitated head fell into the water.

There was a resounding splash, then silence.

An arm wound around him firmly. Relief welled in him but it didn't last long.

"Are you hurt—?" The raven asked then abruptly stopped, and the hand gripping his shoulder tensed. Naruto didn't need to ask why.

Blue eyes rolled to the paper seal fluttering in his hand. It was a thin, white paper gripped innocently between his fingers. He had removed it from the cage. One heartbeat and it felt as if his world came into a standstill.

Naruto expected fear and dread in his heart but he couldn't understand why he was unable to feel anything now. Shock must have overridden everything else.

There was a growing void beneath his feet. Naruto stared as the color of blood leaked everywhere and in the water, there's a huge whirlpool swallowing everything. The seal was no longer in effect.

And the whole chamber itself was beginning to collapse. Everything was in ruin.

Kyuubi was roaring loudly in his cage; clawed paws striking the bars of the cage incessantly. Its booming voice shook the whole chamber. The demon was going wild.

But at that moment, the sights and sounds felt too faraway. Nearly hollow and unreal like he was just watching everything from afar and he wasn't part of it. Like everything was a mere illusion.

And Naruto prayed desperately that it was.

"Naruto."

But it was that grave, deep voice that had to shatter everything. It reminded him that this was real. This was all real.

The familiar voice beckoned him to turn around. And Naruto did. Slowly, he turned his head to face his rival. Blue eyes looked straight to dark ones.

"Sasuke," Naruto acknowledged, feeling a slight tremor on his shoulder from where the Uchiha was holding him. Sasuke's face looked too... grim. It was painful to see and at that sight, Naruto couldn't bring himself to say anything. For a moment, he simply stared at the other.

"Why." A demand and Naruto almost flinched at the accusing tone. That was not the right question to ask but Naruto understood. The rogue nin wasn't looking for an answer.

Smiling faintly, Naruto let go of the paper in his hand. It burned in the air before it can even reach the raging waters.

"Heh. He showed me a memory of my childhood." He replied, jokingly adding 'that sneaky bastard'. A soft chuckle rumbled in his throat but it was much too forced to be real. "I… I wasn't able to stop myself. I'm sorry."

At the last crucial minute, he just tried to save Sasuke but it sort of didn't work out the way he wanted to. He failed to consider the real capabilities of the _Mangekyou_. Idiot, he reprimanded himself. At that moment, Naruto had the urge to laugh at himself. It really was an idiotic thing to do. To fight the cursed bloodline head-on. He didn't even consider anything else and just blindly charged.

And now, due to that _damned_ idiocy, his time was running out.

He's literally a ticking bomb now.

Gravity was beginning to pull them down and Naruto briefly wondered if like the paper, he'll burn too before he even reached the water. His skin was already peeling off.

"Get out of here, Sasuke."

The only response he got was the tightening hold around his body. Naruto closed his eyes, frustrated and unable to look at the other anymore. "Sasuke..."

"No..." The raven replied. Low but firm. Sasuke's hold was unyielding.

'_Damn it_,' Naruto cursed. "You stubborn bastard."

Just as their bodies reached the surface of the water, Naruto yielded and hugged back as tight as he could.

For one last time.

_One last…_

They hit the water roughly, like falling on concrete. Upon the impact, their bodies slowed down and floated in the near surface before they began their inevitable descent. Bubbles surrounded them. The pressure became heavy and the maddening waves felt like walls crushing them but neither let go. Naruto held on to his rival like a lifeline as their bodies began to sink slowly into the scorching and darkening depths.

There was that one long second where Naruto just held on, letting his body be steered by the strong currents. Raw muscle and bones were protruding from his body, being encased by that deep red chakra. His skin was melting and mixing with the water. Every inch of his body was literally burning but he didn't pay heed to it anymore.

Just before his world bled completely into red, Naruto pushed Sasuke away.

The raven looked too surprised and he desperately tried to reach again. Naruto looked on longingly but he shook his head and mumbled silent words.

As the last syllable left the blond's mouth, the whole chamber gave it one last shake before it erupted into a fury of red and black.

Everything collapsed… and Kyuubi was finally released.

* * *

_Because you always believed that the world… couldn't be that cruel._

* * *

The colors of red and black melted into the sky. Like a grim canvass of bloodshed, the demonic chakra painted the skies in violent hues of blood.

The chakra-powered wind howled and lashed in all directions, uprooting nearby trees and deeply embedded rocks. In a mere ten seconds, the forest surrounding the eastern side of Konoha was wiped out. Nothing was left as the nine-tailed demon fox unleashed its full power and fury.

As if sympathizing with the demon's rage, the downpour had intensified, brutally soaking the ground and assuring that everything would be totally flooded by nightfall. The villagers of Konoha were in total panic. Everything was reduced into utter and complete chaos.

Tsunade was giving orders to and fro; her voice already rasping in overuse. Her medic slugs had already been summoned and scattered in various parts of the village. The Chuunins and some Jounins were leading the evacuation of the people.

It was _fifteen years ago_ all over again.

No one in Konoha had expected that it'll happen again.

The leaders of the five nations watched the destruction with bated breath. Their respective escorts and army were already on their guard, ready to take on the Kyuubi if the village Hokage failed to control the situation.

"Naruto…?" The Kazekage of Suna uttered, disbelief thick in his voice. From where he was standing, he could clearly see the nine tails of the demon fox going berserk and lashing in all directions.

Kyuubi's snout rose in the air and a ball of black chakra appeared. It crackled and grew enormously in size – and then the Kyuubi fired it. It leveled everything in its path for miles and miles. In just that single shot, almost a quarter of Konoha was buried to the ground.

All the leaders visibly flinched.

"Hokage-sama, your orders."

Tsunade couldn't bring herself to say anything. She swallowed hard. It felt like all the energy had been drained from her.

"Hokage-sama…?"

"I want all the remaining Jounins, ANBUs, and all those who can still fight…" Tsunade paused. This is why she never wanted this position. She bit her lower lip. Blood swirled in his tongue. It felt like her heart was being crushed. Clenching her fists tightly, she continued in the most controlled voice she could manage, "to stop the Kyuubi at _all_ costs."

* * *

Chaos was all around him.

He could hear screaming everywhere. He pushed his body from the ground and stood up, staggering a bit. Rain was pouring heavily on him.

Though his Mangekyou was deactivated a long time ago, the corners of his eyes were still leaking blood. The blood mixed with the water as it dripped down from his face.

He watched the destruction of the village impassively. The beasts summoned to defeat the Kyuubi were being wiped out one by one. They were simply no match.

An enormous ball of black chakra appeared and in an instant, it destroyed a huge part of the village. Dark eyes travelled to the path of destruction, routinely assessing the damage. If that single shot can do that much damage, then the whole village stood no chance. Everything will be destroyed by the time the sun sets.

An ending, he believed, it definitely deserved.

The man looked up at the burning skies. There were noises all around him but there was only one voice he could hear.

So clearly in his head.

_["I believe in you."]_

He closed his eyes.

His chakra began to seep out from his skin, blue and black melting together. All his restraints had now been removed. He could feel the full power of his chakra coursing through his veins. And when he opened his eyes, it was the color of blood.

He'd never felt so powerful.

And at that moment, all he wanted was to _kill_.

His sword was still dripping with Madara's blood when he appeared in front of the rampaging demon.

Once seeing him, the demon howled and roared wildly, all its hatred bared in its eyes. And then the Kyuubi charged, rushing towards the Uchiha in a maddening speed, its tails rippling madly behind it.

Uchiha Sasuke stretched one hand and black chakra immediately emerged from the ground and enveloped the demon. It razed the demon's skin, eating away every limb it touched. The demon howled in excruciating pain. It yielded and writhed pathetically in the ground.

Sasuke pierced the fox's snout with his sword and buried it all the way to the ground. Once the fox could no longer move its head, Sasuke stared directly into the fox's enormous eyes.

"You. Die." Sasuke uttered, and his Mangekyou spun wildly, trapping the demon in a lifetime of painful illusions.

And instead of the villagers' cries for help, the air was filled with nothing but the demon's agonizing howling. It didn't take long before the demon finally gave in. Horribly weakened, its chakra started to retreat. Slowly, its form became smaller and smaller… until all that's left was its host, lying so still on the ground.

.

.

* * *

_Why_,_ in his failing vision, could he still Sasuke's face so damned clearly above him?_ Naruto couldn't understand that. Maybe it was just an illusion. Or a dream. Everything was already a blur around him but the man's pale and chiseled face remained so clear in front of him.

"Sasuke." He heard himself say.

And then the man immediately knelt beside him.

Naruto felt warmth spread on his cheeks. Sasuke's hand was so warm. It had always been so cold. _Yes_, Naruto believed, this was indeed a very nice dream. The nicest one he ever had.

And then there was something dripping down his face. _Was it raining, _he wondered. Maybe he had been sleeping under the rain again. He'd be soaked to the bone by the time he woke up. He cringed at the thought but smiled nonetheless.

Sasuke's face was nearer all of a sudden and Naruto noticed that something was missing.

'_Ah. I know.'_

Naruto dug out something in his pocket. It was a worn-out forehead protector. His thumb stroked the scratched metallic surface, feeling something stir in him. He had been carrying this _hitai-ite_ for years. And now, it's time to return it to the original owner.

With his failing vision, he felt for Sasuke's face, quietly wondering why the Uchiha was letting him touch him like that. Sasuke lowered his head even more, burying his face in the crook of the blond's neck so Naruto could tie the ends of the forehead protector.

"There." Naruto said when he finished the knot. He smiled and looked up at Sasuke for a long time, burning the image in his head.

"That's better." And Naruto closed his eyes.

* * *

(TBC)


	20. Beginning

**Chapter 20**

_Beginning_

_(Four Days Later)_

The air in the forest was heavy, almost humid. The bitter chill was pressing uncomfortably to the skin. Like a hot breath suspended in the air, clinging to the skin like sweat. It felt as if it's going to rain again but the skies weren't even dark or cloudy. It's just that everything, for some unfathomable reason, felt rather heavy.

Morino Ibiki crouched down and placed his hand on the forest ground. There were dry blood stains on the ground and he could feel a potent chakra signature streaming through his fingers.

He stood up and once again surveyed the area. In front of them was one of the Snake Sannin's old underground hideouts. The front door was almost inconspicuous, carefully hidden by overgrown shrubs. The entrance blended well with the surroundings and if one doesn't look well enough, it could easily be missed.

Wordlessly, Ibiki signaled half of his men to secure the front and back. The remaining half would go with him inside.

Once inside, Ibiki took in the details of the abandoned clinic.

The place reeked of decay and abandonment. Murky grey water hid the floor from view and if they weren't using chakra on their feet, the water would have reached their ankles.

The horribly cracked walls looked as if they could crumble any moment. Given enough push, the pillars could easily collapse and they could all be buried there alive.

They walked for a couple of seconds until they reached a door at the end of the hallway. They could sense someone at the other side. Just one. There was no movement or hints of chakra disturbance. It was as if whoever's inside the room didn't feel them or just… didn't care.

The interrogation expert signaled with his fingers again and his men immediately followed. They neared the door carefully.

One swift movement of Ibiki's index finger and the door was immediately destroyed. In a split-second, Ibiki and two of his men had already situated themselves inside.

As the smoke cleared, Ibiki's eyes roamed around the room.

And he stilled.

There, in the middle of the room, was the one person they were searching for for days.

Wearing a bloodied Konoha _hitai-ite _on his forehead and leaning against a long metal table in the middle of the large room was the two-time rogue-nin, Uchiha Sasuke. His head was bowed down; his face entirely hidden.

And on his chest, cradled and held so tightly in his arms, was the naked body of his teammate, Uzumaki Naruto. Countless tubes and wires were surrounding the blond's body, long needles embedded deep in the paling tan skin.

None of the machines surrounding them was showing any signs of life.

It was obvious that the cradled body was long dead. Ibiki didn't want to know how long the Uchiha had carried the body like that.

In his whole life, he had seen many facets of desperation. He was a master of torture after all, but this one, this particular one still managed to shake him to the very core.

"Uchiha Sasuke." He managed to say after a while. "You're coming with us."

The man didn't move, nor showed any signs he was even aware of their presence.

Ibiki made slow and quiet steps forward. Once he neared the rogue-nin, he noticed that the man's pallid lips were moving. And then the man's hand formed an all-too familiar jutsu.

'_Shit.' _Ibiki cursed. His hands flew immediately to his chest and he uttered a jutsu of his own.

Two seconds later, a huge explosion rocked the forest, sending some of the debris flying into the wind. In mere seconds, the ground caved in and the whole facility was swallowed up.

* * *

"Report." The Hokage commanded, her eyes fixed on the interrogator. Though the man's solid composure remained, Tsunade could still see the weariness in the man's eyes. Morino Ibiki looked drained to the bone. It was extremely rare to see him like that.

"There were explosive seals placed around the facility. Two of my men designated outside are in critical condition. None of my men with me were hurt. I have managed to create a barrier while inside. Fortunately, there were no other casualties." Ibiki reported succinctly.

Tsunade breathed out a sigh of relief. She leaned back on her chair. "Good work, Ibiki. You can go now. The medics will tend to your wounds. Please rest."

"Hai, Hokage-sama. I will submit the written report this afternoon."

"No, Ibiki. I'm ordering you to rest today. Just rest. You can submit the report tomorrow. Am I understood?"

The man looked stunned for a moment, then he answered. "Of course. If you'll excuse me then…"

A respectful bow then the interrogator finally left.

Just as the door clicked shut, Tsunade swiveled her chair to face the window.

"Detonations, huh?" She whispered, her gaze lost on the towering buildings outside.

_-really intended to bury them all alive_

"Tsunade-sama…" Shizune started a bit hesitantly. "Are we still going to—?"

"No. Cancel my appointment with that Uchiha brat."

Shizune shivered at the tone used. Though the Sannin's face remained blank, her voice still sounded so cold.

Tsunade stood. Her knees buckled a bit under her weight and she clenched the chair's arms for support. She hadn't slept since the _gaki's_ disappearance four days ago. The lack of sleep was finally taking a toll on her.

"Hokage-sama! Are you alright?" Shizune was on her side immediately.

"I'm fine, Shizune," Tsunade bit out. "Let's go."

The black-haired assistant blinked. "U-um, but where to, Hokage-sama? If we're not going to see Sasuke-kun at the hospital…"

"…."

The amber eyes softened. A small yet sad smile graced the Hokage's face as she turned around.

"…I want to visit someone else first. He's more important."

There was sadness in that voice and Shizune watched the other worriedly. "Tsunade-sama…"

The amber eyes were shimmering with tears, but the smile painfully remained on the Sannin's face. "I missed him," she said softly. "That… idiotic brat. I want to see him."

Shizune nodded. "I understand, Tsunade-sama. I'll cancel all your appointments today. Let me make the preparations first and then we'll go."

* * *

As soon as the bodies of the two missing-ninjas were sensed in the perimeters of the village, the Council had taken charge.

The unconscious and injured Uchiha was immediately taken to the hospital, complete with a full team of ANBU to act as security. Naruto's body on the other hand, was transferred to ROOT despite the Hokage's blatant refusal. The Godaime was simply furious and demanded that the body be autopsied and given proper burial.

In the end, the Council conceded with the Hokage's request. It also helped that a lot of Jounins and Chuunins backed up the request. Danzo's justification that the body of the Kyuubi vessel be kept and preserved under his watch was immediately disregarded. Despite the cool exterior, Danzo's comments were scathing during the latter part of the meeting.

"Sure. The ROOT will surrender the host's body to you, Hokage. But I assure you, you would _not_ like what you'll see," the old man said, his one visible eye narrowed. There was a sneer painted on his face and Tsunade resisted the urge to throw the table at the old fool.

"If I were you, I'll just give the _boy_ a burial. Just to save everyone the shame."

And after those words, Danzo and his escort left the room, leaving everyone to ponder what he meant.

Tsunade shivered mentally at that, almost hesitating to proceed with the post-mortem examination.

She had seen Sakura's reports regarding the state of the blond's body before the release of the Kyuubi. Those reports should have warned her off.

The green chakra on her fingers wavered. Her hand, which was hovering over Naruto's body, was trembling.

"Oh god…" She uttered, eyes wide in disbelief. It was as if all the air had been forced out of her lungs and she suddenly couldn't breathe.

She finally understood what the old fool meant.

The _gaki's _insides were torched. There were no other words to describe it. Everything was utterly and severely swollen. Like someone had lit a candle inside.

Her world was literally spinning. She was gripping the edge of the metal table so hard that her fingers had started to pierce through the metal.

She couldn't even begin to imagine…

"Naruto… I'm so sorry," she said, her voice breaking. She stroked the blond's cheek gently. "I'm so…"

Teardrops fell down on the unmoving body. Amber eyes narrowed at the tan skin that didn't shrivel up. It remained smooth and almost unblemished.

It looked like the boy was only sleeping. It doesn't really look like a body that has been dead for four days.

_["…Seemed like the Uchiha had slowed down the decaying process." Ibiki reported, sounding a bit vexed. "We almost thought the Uzumaki brat was still alive."]_

"Sick." Tsunade hissed.

And then her eyes lingered to the small spot on the boy's neck. She blinked. Eyes narrowing, she fingered the tiny mark. It was reddish and…

Her heart skipped a painful beat.

'_What in the world—?"_

_["Sure. The ROOT will surrender the host's body to you, Hokage. But I assure you, you would not like what you'll see… To save everyone the shame, just give the boy a burial."]_

Danzo's ominous words resounded in her ears as she scanned the body again, looking for the same reddish marks. And she saw them. Quite a few of them, almost fading, but her medically trained eyes found them easily.

She gripped the white sheet covering the body's lower region, and slowly, pulled it down a couple of inches. The same red, almost pinkish marks littered the blond's upper thigh.

Tsunade pulled the sheet up quickly. She didn't need any more proof.

Her chakra flared furiously and in one blink, a Jounin appeared behind her.

"Hokage-sama?"

"Get. Uchiha. Here. Now." She commanded, stressing every word.

"Hai." The Jounin bowed respectfully and he disappeared.

The rogue-nin had not even made two steps inside the room when the Sannin had gripped his neck and slammed him to the wall.

"Leave," Tsunade commanded the escorts.

"But Hokage-sama, we can't leave you with him—"

"I said," the Sannin was glaring at them now, her hand still wrapped on the Uchiha's neck. "get out. _Now._"

The ANBUs exchanged furtive glances, still a bit shocked, but they complied nonetheless. In a puff of smoke, they were all gone, leaving the Hokage and the Uchiha alone in the room.

"Uchiha." Tsunade hissed threateningly. "What the fuck have you done?"

"…."

The lack of response aggravated Tsunade more and her grip tightened. With much force, she pressed the Uchiha to the wall, crumbling it bit by bit. She knew that he's not ignorant. The _damn_ prodigy knew what she meant.

"Answer me!" She demanded.

Sasuke remained unmoving, his stance relaxed, his eyes vacant and unblinking.

Then, as if finally realizing where he is, the dark eyes blinked and slid ever so slowly to the corpse behind her.

There was silence then… in a voice so low and barely audible, he suddenly replied, "He said he loves me."

Tsunade froze. She wasn't expecting that. Her grip loosened unconsciously.

"I didn't think he would mind," Sasuke continued, his lips twitching in a half-sneer.

Tsunade almost broke the man's neck at that. But she stopped dead when she saw the man's eyes. The lips can smile, the words can lie, but it has always been the eyes which tell the truth.

The man's eyes, Tsunade noted grimly, were staring longingly at his rival's dead body.

The sneer deepened slowly and the pale, cracked lips moved again. "Because after all, that is what he always wanted…

…the _fool_ that he is."

"…."

The man's eyes were still fixed on his teammate, looking as if he's expecting a retort. Waiting for the blond idiot to answer back. Waiting for _anything. _But there was none. He was met by silence. His rival's corpse lay as unmoving as ever.

The bitter smile slowly faded and dead, dark eyes lowered to the tiled floor.

"…Fool. He's always been such a pathetic fool." He whispered grimly. The rogue-nin's voice was like a sheet of glass close to breaking.

At that moment, an intense wave of pity gripped Tsunade's heart. She found herself unable to say anything.

She finally released her hold and the Uchiha fell to the floor. Blood was beginning to stain the fabric over his stomach. The stitches must have loosened or the wound might have reopened, but the rogue-nin didn't seem to care. He didn't even seem to notice.

"You." Tsunade started after a long while. "Did you _ever_ love him…?"

"…."

The silence was expected.

The Uchiha never spoke again. His back was bent; eyes fixed on the floor, blood seeping from his clothes. He looked so pitiful that the pity that gripped Tsunade's heart increased tenfold.

Turning away, the Sannin flared her chakra once more and the escorts returned. She muttered a command and the rogue-nin was taken away.

* * *

Sakura stared at the door of the cell, almost willing it to open by itself. She really doesn't want to be here. But then, she had no choice. A heavy, lingering sigh escaped her lips.

Swallowing hard, she deactivated the seals, and proceeded inside. She found the rogue-nin seated on the floor, an arm resting on one upraised knee. His dark eyes were fixed on something on the wall beside her head.

He had a calm and detached expression on his face and though his body's currently wrapped up in bandages, he looked fine.

The Hokage had informed her that the Uchiha's injuries had all been looked at and treated. His life was no longer in danger. Though there had been infections because of earlier neglect, the deep wound in the rogue-nin's stomach was starting to heal quite nicely now.

_He's alive… and well._

Sakura felt a pinch in her chest, feeling the unfairness of it all.

A huge lump formed in her throat and there's a prickling behind her eyelids. At that moment, the urge to cry and lash out had never felt so strong. She gritted her teeth and none-too-gently, placed the tray of medicine and food on the table beside the bed.

There was no reaction or any signs of acknowledgment from the Uchiha. The man remained sitting, staring at the wall with a withdrawn gaze.

"The funeral's tomorrow," she started in a low voice. Her eyes were fixed on the table next to the unused bed. "Sun down, half past 8." She recited the exact place in the most monotone voice she could manage.

"…."

Expecting the lack of response, she took one last glance at the Uchiha before turning to leave. Her role was done here.

Beside the door, she stopped.

"Be there." She said firmly. "At least for _him_, be there."

And then she left.

The seals were reactivated and the door closed with a sharp click.

* * *

The moment she stepped outside the detainment center, Sakura's tears were already streaming down her face. She didn't even pay heed to the ANBU guards and just started running away.

She ran aimlessly through the streets, feeling nothing but the heaviness blossoming in her chest.

Somehow… somehow, she knew this would happen. She must have been the first person to discover the real state of Naruto's body. That moment in the forest wasn't a fluke. When the blond almost passed out on her arms, she felt it. Felt and saw the body's real condition with her own eyes.

She should not have just shouted. She should've struggled harder to stop Sasuke from taking the blond away. At that moment, she should've warned the rogue-nin of Naruto's real condition. She should've done everything to inform him.

But she didn't.

At that moment, her mind just blanched.

"Naruto," she cried. "I'm sorry…"

She fell down on the grass, her knees landing callously on the ground. Her body started to shake with violent sobs. She wrapped her arms around herself, an attempt to stop the shaking. But it was no use. Unbidden tears streamed out of her eyes.

Funny how she'd always thought she wouldn't have any more tears to shed.

She naively thought she had buried it. She had tried to move on, to stop thinking, to just let this grief pass. But it wouldn't. It was no use.

She'll always be reminded of the person she's lost. No amount of mourning could alleviate this.

And seeing her rogue teammate – alive, able, and seemingly unaffected – brought back the pain tenfold. It was as if nothing happened. His expression was the same. His eyes were as jaded and empty as they used to be. Not even a hint of sadness or regret.

She clenched her teeth in anger and if it was possible, she found herself crying harder.

'_Pitiful,'_ she berated herself. _'So pitiful, Sakura. Why don't you ever change?'_

The trees hovered above her form; their leaves swinging in the light breezes of the dusk. The cool wind brushed her skin but she vaguely felt it.

"_Sakura-chan."_

A whisper suddenly sounded in her head. It was a familiar, high-pitched yet tender voice. It was Naruto's…

'_God, she's losing it.'_

And then she felt something touch her face. It felt wet.

Green eyes slowly opened and looked up. She froze immediately at the sight.

An image of her fallen teammate was before her. In human form, but not quite human. The image was drawn in black ink, outlined by heavy strokes and accented in the edges. The clothes of the image were colored in vague hues of orange and black. The flesh was in a lighter shade of brown and the eyes were the color of pale blue skies. Not like Naruto's, but still.

'_Is this a joke? What kind of sick—?"_

And then the image proceeded on wiping the tears off her cheek. The touch was so gentle, leaving dark smudges of ink on her face. Sakura felt her chest constrict painfully at that. It felt like her heart was being crushed. She struggled to breathe.

"I could not quite get his eyes," Said a voice behind her. Sakura turned around.

"S-Sai?"

The man was looking at the form made of ink, his eyes tinged with something Sakura had never expected to see in them. _Longing. _The eyes of their once unemotional and slightly insensitive teammate were now filled with nothing but longing as he gazed at the inked form. And deep sadness. Such startling amount of sorrow conveyed in those dark eyes that Sakura couldn't bring herself to say anything.

"…."

Blots of ink were falling on the ground. The image was starting to melt.

"Hopefully, the new one would resemble him more." Sai said after a while. His voice was low; his eyes never straying from the image. "Just the eyes. It is quite difficult to color them. I could never get his eyes right –"

Sakura's heart finally broke at that.

Now, she understood. She _finally_ understood.

Before Sai could even finish his sentence, Sakura was already running towards him.

"You _idiot!_" Sakura said as she hugged the pale man tightly. "_Baka!"_

The man stilled at the sudden embrace, confused. The medic-nin was crying at his shoulders.

"Sakura-san…?"

"Shut up." Sakura said, softly. "Just… don't talk. I know Sai, I know…"

She finally realized what the other truly felt for the blond. It stumped her why she never realized it sooner.

Sai's eyes had always been solely on _him. _Only on _him_.

"You loved him," Sakura murmured. "Have you… have you ever told him that?"

The man before her tensed.

And in a much lower, slightly cracked voice, Sai answered. "…Yes."

Sakura waited. "And?"

"…."

There was no response. Sakura pulled back a bit and stared directly at the man's eyes, searching for the answer. As soon as their gazes met, Sakura knew.

"I'm sorry," she said, tears once again falling from her face. "I'm so sorry, Sai."

And she hugged him again. More firmly this time. The man stood still, his hands hovering over Sakura's form but never quite touching.

"…Why are you apologizing, Sakura-san?"

"Because you're an idiot." Sakura cried. "You and Naruto! You're such big idiots!"

"…."

"…He's so… stupid." Sakura mumbled in between sobs. "He should've… he shouldn't have left us…"

Sai didn't say anything.

And silence settled.

Neither of them spoke for a long time.

Leaves were falling all around them and it was growing darker, colder. Pale hues of black were filling the skies.

"He loved you too, Sai." Sakura said after a while. "He cared for you. Don't you ever forget that."

"Sakura-san…"

"That idiot… has always cared so much for all of us. More than he ever did for himself."

"…."

Something shuffled near them and before either of them could react, the ink image of their fallen teammate had closed in… and wrapped its arms on them. Shocked, both of them immediately stiffened, staring wide-eyed at the ink form.

"N-Naru—" Sakura began to say but abruptly stopped. _'This wasn't Naruto. This was merely an image,'_ she rationalized. Just an image made of ink and chakra. Nothing more than a jutsu.

_It was nothing more. Just a very poor copy of…_

"Naruto," she heard Sai speak. Sakura blinked and turned her head to face the pale man.

A lone tear had made its way past the man's pallid cheek. Sai was staring at the ink form as if seeing it for the very first time. Then another tear crept out of his eye, followed by another, and another...

Sai – Sakura stared in utter disbelief—was crying. This was the very first time Sakura saw the man shed any tears for anything or anyone.

If her heart could break for a second time, it could have. Sakura was sure of that. Because right now, she couldn't bear to watch this. Seeing Sai like this was breaking her heart into a million pieces.

"…Thank you." Sai said finally, a small yet genuine smile appearing on his face. His eyes were open and warm, staring longingly at the ink form.

It was impossible, Sakura knew, but a ghost of a smile seemed to have flickered on the face of the ink form. It stayed there as the eyes slowly closed.

A light breeze passed between them. The ink form was beginning to disappear, melting slowly in the wind.

"I love you. I will…" Sai said softly, lifting a hand to touch the blond's face. The form's face was melting in his gloved hand. And barely a second before the form dissolved entirely, he managed to whisper:

"…love you forever."

And then it was gone.

Sai's eyes fell to the ground, and even though Sakura could no longer see the man's eyes, the smile had never left his face.

"…Naruto."

* * *

The funeral was expectedly low-key. The Godaime Hokage had preferred it that way. But it didn't make the memorial service any less special.

It could have been the funeral of a Hokage if the amount of high-ranking officials who attended was something to go by. Though there were only a few civilians present, there were quite a lot of prominent people who showed up, hinting Naruto's position and great influence in the ninja world.

It may have also been because it was the funeral of the last of the Jinchūriki. Of all the human hosts, with the exception of Gaara, Naruto's body was the only one that was retrieved. All the other vessels were kept (and still hidden) by the Akatsuki.

The feared group was dead now. Most of its members, along with its leader Madara, have been killed. There have been reports that the remaining few members have disbanded and were now on their own. The threat was gone… for now.

Peace had temporarily settled between the nations, momentarily setting aside the rift that was caused by the Uchiha at the Leader's Summit. Of course, the fact that the Uchiha saved all their asses while in Konoha played a major part as well.

They'd all seen what the last Uchiha had done. At the Kyuubi's rampage, the rogue-nin had used himself as shield and "single-handedly" fought the cursed beast using his bloodline jutsu. He was also the one that helped kill Madara, the world's biggest threat to peace. He basically won the war on his own.

With the help of Team 7, Uchiha Sasuke brought peace back to the ninja world.

_That's what everyone believed._

"Fools…"

Tsunade stared blankly at the skies.

"Such fools they are…"she whispered, holding the Hokage's hat in an iron grip.

Compared to all the funerals she's been too, this was the only one where she's perfectly sober. She doesn't know why but the sight of _sake_ nowadays was upsetting her stomach. It's making her oddly nauseous. _Too bad, _she thought. She could really drown herself in _sake_ right now.

It was all so convenient, she thought. She was the one who started the rumours of Team 7 taking the mission to lure and exterminate Madara. The "escape mission" was just a cover-up. The real goal had always been Madara.

That even Sasuke's assault in the Summit was forged for everyone to think that the young Uchiha had sided with Madara. This was so he can learn of Madara's true plan and weakness. This of course, wasn't true. Tsunade had just made it all up so she can salvage all the remaining members of Team 7.

And surprisingly, everyone bought it. The people were goaded so easily. She couldn't complain though. She needed this. To save all the members of Team 7, including Sasuke, she wanted everyone to believe that the rumours were true.

"This is what Naruto would have wanted," was all Tsunade said in the Council meeting. Her voice was firm, her eyes steeled as she gazed at everyone. No one dared to argue and though it's a big risk, everyone in the Council conceded in the end.

Team 7 was still valuable after all. Most especially, the Uchiha.

For the villagers and even the Kages who once hated the rogue-nin, Uchiha Sasuke was a hero. The _hero_ who sacrificed everything to save them and the village from annihilation.

_Hero._

"Hero." Tsunade repeated the word. It tasted foul in her mouth.

It was the most difficult choice she'd made. She wanted everyone to think that Team 7, including Sasuke, was innocent of everything so all of them could be saved and hence, allowed to return. Though she wanted to strangle the Uchiha so bad, she had no choice. If she didn't do it, all the members of Team 7 will be executed for grounds of assault and treason.

With only a few years of detainment and observation, Uchiha Sasuke would be allowed to roam free. All his sins would be purge, and everything, for him, will go back to normal. He can be eligible for reinstatement as a shinobi. Or he can choose to be a civilian. Anything. He can choose to have anything.

His life… will simply go on.

_All for the sacrifice of one person._

Tsunade bit her lip harshly. She could taste salt in her tongue. She bowed her head down to hide the tears threatening to fall.

'_I hope you're happy, brat.' _Tsunade thought. _'This is… what you've always wanted, right. What you've been screaming in my ear for years.'_

She began to laugh but it was too strained. It hurt to even smile.

"_Baa-san." _

"…Gaki."

"Hokage-sama…"

Shizune appeared behind her. "It's starting."

Tsunade nodded once and put her hat on. Without a word, she followed her assistant to the memorial grounds.

* * *

"Sakura."

"He's not here." The medic-nin growled low. Her eyes were scanning the area furtively. "He was allowed to go out, _Sensei. _But he's not here."

Kakashi looked down solemnly at his student, unsure of what to say. He had expected this, and had an earlier hunch that Sakura expected it too but the anger in her voice proved that wrong. She sounded so betrayed. Like she did expect the Uchiha to come.

"Calm down," he said. "Perhaps he's just…"

"Sensei!" Sakura's eyes were glimmering with unshed tears. "This is Naruto's…"

She looked away. Clenched her fists tightly at her sides. Even now, she's finding it very difficult to say the words.

"This will be the last time… he'll see him." Sakura continued. "He'll never see Naruto again. He's his best friend! He should be here!"

"…."

The medic-nin was close to crying now, burying her swollen eyes in her palms.

"Sakura."

"I hate him." Sakura hissed.

"No, you don't. Don't say that, Sakura." Kakashi placed a hand on his student's shoulder. "Hate is a strong word."

"I _do_ hate him." Sakura repeated, but with less vehemence. And her voice cracked in the middle. "I…"

"Sasuke may or may not be here." The copy-nin said in a gentle voice. "But that would be his choice and his alone. We should try to understand that."

"But, sensei—"

"Whether he comes or not does not change the fact that Naruto has always been important to him."

Sakura stilled at that, shocked by the Jounin's words. It didn't take long though before her surprise was quickly overridden by anger.

"Ha," she scoffed. "As if. Out of all of us, Naruto was the one he hurt the most."

"…."

"Important? He's always been cruel to him. Even in the end, he didn't… he didn't even care." Sakura bit her lip, finding herself unable to continue.

"Sakura. There are many things we don't know. It's not fair to assume."

The medic-nin looked away, knowing the truth in that statement.

The procession for the offering of flowers was already starting. She glanced at the small mangled white flower in her hand. She had gripped it so tightly that she broke the stem already.

"I… I have to get a new flower," she said lowly, turning away from the jounin.

"He loved him." Kakashi said just as Sakura took a step away.

Sakura abruptly stopped.

"Out of all of us, Naruto was the one who changed him the most," Kakashi continued. "I know you know, Sakura. Sasuke has never looked at anyone but hi—"

"Sensei," Sakura interrupted. "Please stop."

All her breaths had frozen in her chest. The words were like razors piercing her skin. It _hurt_ so much.

"I know," she said in a shaky voice. "I'm not blind."

She closed her eyes, remembering those _dark, cold eyes which never looked her way. Dark eyes which always seemed to look pass her._

She looked back at the jounin, a small, bitter smile painted on her face. Her green eyes glimmered with tears, but she wiped them away before they even fell.

"But I still want him here." Sakura said in a much firmer voice. "At least for Naruto, I want him to be here, sensei."

"Sakura…"

The medic-nin punched her palm with a fist, looking suddenly determined. "And even if I have to break his bones to get him here, then I will."

The jounin blinked, then gave a long, heavy sigh.

'_Those words…'_

He raised his hands in mock surrender, looking defeated.

"Maa. I give up. Just… don't be too forceful, Sakura-_chan._"

A flash of pain glimmered in those green eyes. Noticing it, Kakashi apologized immediately. The medic-nin waved it away.

"It's okay, sensei." She gave a low chuckle to reassure the other, but it was strained and quite empty. "Naruto's not the only one who uses that damned honorific and— damn it, I really need to go."

She turned around. "I'll bring him here. Whatever it takes. I'll do my best, sensei."

And she left.

* * *

The doors and windows were all closed, allowing no sound or current to breeze through the house. The walls were thick with the aura of quiet and solitude.

Surprisingly, the house had remained clean and polished. Everything's in order and well-maintained. The white blankets covering the limited furniture were pristine and free of creases.

Even the dry blood that had managed to weave through the thin gaps of the floorboards was gone now. The ruined tiles were replaced; the wood newly varnished and scented.

Everything was perfect.

It was all so perfect. So horribly and _disgustingly_ perfect.

The house had been maintained impeccably. So cared for with much attention and diligence. It was as if whoever did this really _believed_ and expected the owner's return.

A bitter smile twisted the man's lips.

Such a cruel, _cruel_ joke.

"…."

Pale, cold fingers touched the wall, skimming the surface slowly as the lone figure walked the long corridors. The man's pace was slow and quiet. His dark _yukata_ swayed languidly behind him as he walked, his eyes drawn down to the floor, his whole face hidden in shadows.

After a while, the walking stopped. The figure stood still beside a door. And slowly, the fingers descended and rested on the handle of the wooden door. He grasped the handle and slid the door open. He didn't glance around or wait. Unlike his many attempts in the past, he walked inside the room without preamble.

He had always hesitated to visit this particular section of the house.

It was where his parents had died. Where his brother performed the most unforgiving act, and where everything was taken from him.

Even in his dreams, this room haunted him.

Even after all these years, the sight and smell of his parents' blood remained strong in his memory. His clan's tragedy followed him everywhere like a shadow, reminding him of everything he's fighting for.

But this time, it's different.

As he entered, the smell of something fragrant assailed his nostrils. The man stopped dead in the middle of the room. He glanced around.

Various kinds of potted flowers filled the room, filling the room with their fresh scent and bright colors. A mosaic of beautiful flowers surrounded him and though some of them were already wilted, the room still looked so… vibrant and alive. Petals and leaves adorned the floor and he could feel the rough texture of the soil beneath his bare feet.

The ruined floorboards were still there but the blood-soaked area was hidden from view, covered instead by pots of various sizes and colors. The smell of blood was gone. Unlike the rest of the house, this room smelled like… earth. Of the clean smell of earth after a long and heavy rain.

At the sight, the cooled off heart beat once. _Heavily._

Something flickered in those dead eyes.

Slowly, the man looked around, taking everything in.

He found a note taped on one of the potted plants and before he could even stop himself, he was already walking towards it. He reached for the note and read:

_Baa-chan, the floorings are all messed up. I'll buy the extra materials when I get back from the mission. (I hope the bastard comes with us this time. Wait, scratch that. I'll make sure he will.) And oh, this room smells horrible. I can't take off the smell so in the meantime, this is all I got. PLEASE tell your stupid ANBU not to take these away too. Not until I get back. I left a note on Iruka-sensei to take care of them while I'm gone. I'll clean this up, I promise!_

A smiling face of a toad ended the messy note and even though there was no name at the end, there's no doubt on who wrote it.

One shuddering breath escaped the man's lips and the paper was crumpled in his hand.

The smell of blood was finally, _finally _gone.

His eyes burned, like lava had pooled behind his eyelids. And the tears that streamed down his face felt so hot and thick.

The man didn't feel his legs descending until his knees fell down to the floor in a heavy thud.

Indeed. Such a cruel, _cruel_ joke.

In the middle of the room, surrounded by nothing but the final gift of his best friend, the lone figure was on his knees, his body bent down, and his forehead on the floor. The paper was clasped tightly—reverently in both hands.

"Naruto."

A whisper in the solitude of the room. His voice was like gravel in his ears. It was the first word he had ever spoken for so long.

He brought the paper closer to his chest. The pale fists were trembling. He spoke the name again, the syllables stretching out in his tongue.

And then he kissed the paper in his hand, his cold lips dragging over the rough surface of the paper. Wetness was forming on the floor, on his hand, on his face…

"Naruto."

The name was called out again and in the solitude of the room, his only response was silence. The walls were empty and hollow, and when his voice echoed, he could barely recognize it as his own.

He held the paper in his hand in an iron grip, his own tears melting the dark ink.

His eyes slid closed.

And finally, _finally_… the man allowed himself to grieve.

* * *

"_I… chased after you. I wanted to catch up to you. I want to be at your side. Fighting alongside you. Training. Or just… fooling around. Those moments…they might not mean anything to you but I treasure those moments, Sasuke. Because you are important to me You've always been…_

…_important, Sasuke…"_

* * *

Sakura had felt the raging fires even before she saw it.

She looked at the source and noted, with horror, where the fire was coming from. _The Uchiha District._

For the life of her, she had never raced so hard in her life.

'_Please, not him too. Don't take him away too.'_ Sakura pleaded desperately in her head.

The gates loomed before her and she charged forward, not even bothering to check for any seals. It was only when she slammed against the invisible barrier that she realized her mistake.

She grunted in pain as she struggled to her feet. Once she found her balance, she ran towards the gates again. She felt the barrier with her hands, analyzing it quickly. Glancing around, she noticed the paper seals attached to the walls. Her eyes widened in recall. She studied these seals before her.

It was one of the Uchiha clan's ancient _kekkai _(barrier) seals. It's quite distinctive because it's a reverse barrier which means that it's mainly used for offensive purposes. It's not to protect anything or anyone. It's meant to destroy everything inside it – and in this case, by means of fire, the clan's main element.

And it was a seal that can only be started and stopped… by an _Uchiha_.

Sakura's heart could have just stopped at that very moment.

The whole Uchiha District was burning. Everything was slowly being swallowed up by the roaring flames.

Glancing around quickly, she saw the still form of her ex-teammate standing calmly in the middle of the huge Uchiha lawn; his whole expression calm, his eyes drawn towards the raging fires coming his way.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted, banging her fist repeatedly on the barrier. "Please stop this! Sasuke-kun!"

Her lips and throat were drying, the scorching heat draining all the moisture in her face. But even then, it didn't stop the tears from falling relentless on her face.

The pale fists banging on the barrier were starting to hurt and swell but she didn't dare stop. She kept calling out, with all her voice, with all her strength, with everything she's ever got.

But the Uchiha won't even look at her.

"Sasuke-kun, please stop! Don't do this!" The medic-nin shouted once again. "Please, Sasuke!"

The man looked up to the smoke-filled skies; dark grey ashes already drifting and encircling him. He closed his eyes.

"_Because I love you."_

"Usuratonkachi," he said.

And as the last syllable left his lips, the seals around the district glowed. One by one, the pillars of the barrier vanished. The fires began to die down, being extinguished on its own.

Terribly stunned and thankful, the Sakura collapsed to the ground and cried. "Oh thank God," she managed to say in between sobs. She could feel other chakra signatures approaching. Relieved, she stood up.

Once the smoke cleared, she glanced around again, noting that the whole district was no more. Piles and piles of charred debris littered the Uchiha grounds.

Uchiha Sasuke, its sole and last living heir, had literally burned everything to the ground.

"Sa… Sasuke-kun," Sakura said as she neared the raven. It was then that she finally noticed the flower gripped so tightly in the man's hand.

Without glancing at her, the man tossed the flower to the ground, bowed his head and clasped his hands together.

Sakura blinked. _'That gesture…'_

It was like an offering for the dead. Sakura looked around again, realization dawning on her. This was the man's final offering for the dead, that much she understood.

All the physical reminder of the clan's tragedy _burned_ and _buried_ to the ground. The man was _finally_ allowing everything and everyone to rest in peace. It would be nothing else but a memory now.

Even with their damaged surroundings, a feeling of immense and soothing calmness filled the area.

All those pain, all those hurt seemed to have faded away.

Sakura smiled, feeling peace blossoming in her heart.

_At long last._

Taking one final look at her ex-teammate, Sakura left quietly.

* * *

"_Live, Sasuke... _

_Live on."_

* * *

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**EPILOGUE**

_(Eight Years Later) _

The figure stood tall and imposing as he surveyed the village from atop the Hokage monument.

A white hand emerged from the immaculate, white robes and took off the hat bearing the Rokudaime insignia. The man angled his face towards the skies, quietly reveling in the soothing warmth of the dying sun against his skin. They were the final rays of the sun before dusk settled. The deep colors of red and orange were melting together, creating an outstanding view in the skies.

A gentle breeze blew and his robes and raven locks fluttered gently in the wind. He closed his eyes.

_Peaceful._ He'd never felt so peaceful.

"Hokage-sama." A voice sounded behind him. The Jounin knelt down in respect. "The Council's requesting your presence. Should we go now?"

There was a minute of silence before the dark figure finally answered.

"I will be there," Came the short reply. The figure didn't say anything else as he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

* * *

It didn't look like a grave.

The stone monument was surrounded by bouquets of flowers. The flowers were arranged beautifully, surrounding the gravestone like an offering. Everything was fresh and the air smelled clean and wonderful.

The figure approached the monument. He plucked a small white flower from one of the bouquets and knelt down in front of the grave. He placed the flower and his Hokage hat on the ground.

Dark eyes stared longingly at the gravestone. His hand rose and pale, long fingers traced the engraved name, slowly and reverently.

_Uzumaki Naruto_

The fingers stopped tracing and the hand dropped.

As if comforting him, a soothing warm wind breezed through his back.

A small, rare smile played on the Hokage's lips. It stayed there for a long time.

"…I've been made Hokage." The man spoke after a while, his voice smooth and deep. "This was your dream, right Naruto? It's always been yours since we were…"

He didn't continue it.

His forehead lowered and rested on the hard surface of the tombstone. His eyes closed; fingers once again touching the engraved name.

"I accepted it. For you, Naruto," the man whispered, his lips almost touching the concrete. "For you…"

And just like every single day for the past eight years, three short words passed his lips. Three short words spoken so fervently. Three very short words that no one else will ever hear.

A confession that will never receive a reply.

There's still that soothing and warm feeling in the air. Petals flew and drifted slowly in the wind, surrounding him, embracing him.

The figure took his hat and stood up. Taking one final and long look at the grave, he bid his best friend good bye.

"_Owari_, Naruto."

* * *

"_I love you."_

* * *

**END**

_**Thank you all very much.**_


	21. Epilogue: Illusions of the Sun I

_Let him... say his good bye._

* * *

There is shame in the way he walks. His head is bowed down; his unnaturally pallid face entirely hidden by the long hood of his cloak. His scaly arms hang like dead limbs at his sides. Kabuto breathes very slowly as he drags his feet to walk, treading the stony path with much difficulty. Every second, his cloak- long drenched by the unending rain - gains weight and is proving to be too heavy for his malnourished form.

_And the heartless wind, the heartless wind keeps on blowing -_

He longs to rest. He longs to sleep, to be buried forever...

_"So weak, Kabuto. When did you become so weak?"_

Spoken by a voice in his head. Kabuto recognizes it easily and he smiles. _It has been so long_

"My l-lord..."

He stutters-

"...I've always been this weak." And the bitter smile deepens on his face.

Kabuto releases a heavy, shuddering breath as he clutches his chest. He could feel the weak beating of his heart beneath his grip. Everything he touches already feels weak and dead. And all he could smell is that familiar, comforting scent of decay. Of his own rotting flesh-

_Dying. His whole body-_

The mud suddenly molds under his feet and Kabuto falls into the ground.

The damp grass sticks to his face, mounds of dirt clinging into his silvery white hair. He closes his eyes and sighs, unable to quell the exhaustion anymore. The rain continues to fall and piles and piles of golden leaves begin to descend onto his form, but he barely feels it, as his body is once again wracked with violent coughs. His blood spreads all over the soft earth and mixes with the rain.

In a way, the dying medic finds this nostalgic- the scent of his own blood mixing with the rain while the dry dead leaves fall onto his form.

Unbidden, his mind drifts into a memory of long ago...

It was raining that day too.

_Under a red moon and cloudless sky, he remembers a younger man standing before him, drenched in rain and blood, carrying another man in his arms._

_"Heal him." The man commands, his voice as cold and hard as steel. Like it has always been. But it was the greying black eyes, Kabuto notices, and the scratched hitai-ite wrapped clumsily on a bloodied forehead that betray the other man entirely._

_Kabuto knows immediately that this is no longer the man he used to know. He __shakes his head. And for the first time in a very long time, he feels... a heaviness in his heart. 'Foolish, foolish boy.'_

_"...I do not heal the dead, Sasuke-kun." _

_"-!"_

_There is not a second of hesitation as he suddenly feels the burn in his skin as Sasuke has closed in and his black chakra dug into his throat- he couldn't breathe-_

_"I said, heal him." The man repeats, his tone much graver and lower. _

_Trying to struggle from the deathly hold, Kabuto's gaze lowers again to the man clutched tightly on the raven's chest, sees the familiar face-_

_-and for the briefest of second, the sneer on the medic's face falters._

_"He's already dead." Kabuto forced his breath out. And without knowing why, he extended a quivering hand to the dead man's face. Placed his fingers on top of the paling tan skin and between strands of golden hair. "He's..._

_..dead." The medic repeats coldly._

_One breath-_

_-that was all it took before the black chakra erupted from the raven's body and burned into the medic's scaly flesh-_

_Kabuto didn't even hear himself scream._

...

Golden eyes open in mild shock. He has not realized that he has fallen asleep. Pallid fingers tentatively touch a small area near the throat, feeling a sting from an old wound. It was a thin long scar ridged across the creases of the neck. Already darkened by time. A scar- that for eight long years- has refused to heal.

_Eight years_

Burying his palms into the dampened soil, the white-haired medic forces himself off the ground. His arms shake beneath him and knees refuse to lock as he struggles to stand. He fails and falls a second time. Kabuto curses and attempts to try again-

-when a lone dead leaf suddenly falls beside his feet.

Slashed cleanly in half. Kabuto stops... and stares hard at the fallen leaf. There's a sudden crackle in the wind, prickling his skin. His vision blurs for a moment when a sheet of blue suddenly cut the space ruthlessly before him. Heat spreads across his face and the medic steps back, automatically shielding his eyes with his arm.

_"They found you." _A voice taunts in his head. _"They found you at last..._

._..Run."_

There are several thuds around him and within a second, Kabuto finds himself surrounded. He grits his teeth. He has not even felt them approach. His summons' chakra tingle beneath his feet and he raises his fingers to his face. Gravely outnumbered, he braces himself.

He cannot die here. _Not now. Not yet._

"Yakushi Kabuto."

The medic quickly strains an ear to the side, eyeing the man who has just called his name. He could see transparent white eyes staring back at him. Thin, protruding veins at the sides of a pale youthful face. _'Hyuuga.'_ Kabuto's eyes narrow. He looks around and sees many other familiar faces. The ones nearest to him are the Godaime's apprentice, Haruno Sakura and the famous copy-nin Hatake Kakashi. Shikamaru Nara and his team, the Yamanaka and the Akimichi are huddled in the far corner in his left.

He flinches as a twig snaps behind him, followed by a reverberating savage growl. " Inuzuka," he mutters without needing to look. The growling continues and insects begin to gather all around him. Thousands upon thousands of them encircling his form, waiting.

Konoha's finest shinobi. All poised to attack.

They all have grown, Kabuto muses. Eight years have been long indeed.

"I am honoured." Kabuto taunts, eyes roaming around as he calculates everyone's distance from his position. "I wasn't expecting such a-"

He sees a shroud of white. Just that tiniest glimmer of white in his peripheral- before he feels his body flying sideways and is crashed brutally into a trunk. His own teeth sink into his tongue at the sudden force and he coughs up blood and spit at the man who now holds him in an iron grip.

"You..." the man starts as he inches closer to his face and blunt nails dig into the scar on his throat mercilessly. Kabuto gasps in pain. "How dare you..."

Eyes as red as blood. Almost ghoulish, almost dead. A cursed bloodline resting on such a perfect face. White, immaculate robes long drenched by the pouring rain now adorn a much taller and refined body. '_Uchiha.'_

The snakes he summoned immediately slither back in his arms in retreat, cowering in fear.

"...H-Hokage-sama." He murmurs lowly, lips glistening in cold sweat and rain.

"... You defile his grave." The man in white finishes. Menace so clear in his voice and in his Sharingan eyes.

Kabuto swallows hard. He could feel his insides twisting and curling in his gut- as if fear itself is wrapping around his whole body.

He vaguely wonders if this is the day he will die.

_"So, so weak... Kabuto.__"_

Kabuto bows his head and breathes deeply.

_"My lord. I've always been weak."_

And despite his overwhelming fear, a smile so terribly inappropriate and empty, curves deeply on the medic's face. He may die here but he refuses to go down without a fight.

"I do not know what you're talking about, my dear Hokage-sama." He lies as he raises his hands to his chest. A familiar jutsu plays in the medic's hands and his body dissolves into a thousand snakes and disappears into the ground. There is a moment of silence then-

"Hokage-sam- Sasuke! Behind you!" A female shouts.

Too late, Kabuto thinks with a sneer as the earth grumbles loudly and two coffins emerge from behind their leader. Shocked, all the others immediately rush in.

_'Once his teammates, now nothing but his pawns,'_ Kabuto thinks in amusement as he watches everyone scramble to get to their Hokage as fast as possible. But the Rokudaime himself does not move. Does not even blink at the reanimated Akatsuki cadavers rushing towards him.

The Uchiha's Mangekyou spins in his eyes and an enormous shroud of hazy purple envelops the tall raven. Before Kabuto could even blink, Susanno's gigantic hands have materialized and crushed the cadavers in one strong grip. Everything else in sight is annihilated by the roaring black flames.

As if nothing happened, the Uchiha tilts his head to the side and their eyes meet again. This time, Kabuto stills-

He could not move. Suddenly crippled by the weight of the man's gaze.

"Die"- The Uchiha all but whispers but Kabuto heard it so clearly.

And Susanno's fist lunges directly at him.

"K-Kuchiyose Edo Tensei." Kabuto gasps out.

Four more coffins emerge from the ground, shielding the medic. But Susanno proves to be unstoppable. It crushes the coffins even before they could fully open. The sound of dead bones crushing resound in the area. Kabuto's eyes widen at the massacre and he crawls back in fear.

One last time, he mutters as he summons one final coffin with trembling hands.

The earth grumbles and shifts. A final casket emerges from the ground.

"Now Hokage." Kabuto wheezes, blood dripping from his mouth. He knows that he won't last long. This is his final summon- his one last ounce of strength. "Won't you please accept... my final gift.?"

"..."

Everyone stops.

The coffin stabilizes itself on the ground and opens very slowly.

A hand-

-attached to a severely thin wrist, emerges slowly from the small opening of the wooden coffin. Tan fingers grip one corner of the hinged lid and slowly, _very slowly_, slide the door to one side, opening the casket.

Quite hesitantly - a foot steps out and lands quietly on the uneven and heavily soaked ground. _Cold_, the boy from the coffin muses. The earth feels too cold beneath his bare feet. And _soft_, his mind vaguely adds, as his ankles dig a little deeper into the mud and his toes curl upon the dirt.

He bows his head instinctively to attempt to find his balance; his eyes hidden beneath a mess of golden hair as he gapes thoughtfully at the dampened ground. He stumbles a bit and blinks slowly, failing to recognize the unfamiliar setting. _"Where... am I?" _he mouths, unable to voice it. His throat feels a little too sore. Clearly unused for quite a long time.

_"Where-" _and the boy finally lifts his head and eyes much bluer- _much more achingly and heartlessly familiar_- than the skies look around. _"-am I?"_

The boy's face reveals itself -and at that moment, the world stands still.

The rain stops. Even the wind-

-as pale streaks of sunlight begin to peek out from beneath the clouds and lay paths across the cracked tan skin.

* * *

**(TBC)**


End file.
